A teenage burglar who targeted an elderly woman’s home has been jailed, despite blaming his criminal activities on a previous victim who stabbed him in self-defence.Owlsmoor teenagers Joshua Hasler and Thomas Justice, of Finchampstead Road, Wokingham, targeted 80-year-old Jill Bright at her home in Pinehill Road, Crowthorne, between March 17 and March 20 last year.
Hasler, of Oxford Road in Sandhurst, and Justice, both 19, were sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday, December 23, after previously admitting one count of burglary.
The court heard how the pair broke into the home to “earn some money”.
However, Hasler’s defence said the teen was still suffering from the trauma of being stabbed by a previous victim of his anti-social behaviour.
Christopher Hogg, defending Hasler, added: “Mr Hasler has had difficulty since he was the victim of a stabbing in 2009. He was stabbed five times and received a punctured lung and he hasn’t been able to deal with it.
He described himself as someone being in a low mood. He is someone who is extremely ashamed of his behaviour.”
Mr Hogg added Hasler was in debt over a drug deal for around £300 at the time of the burglary.
Jane Davies, prosecuting, said: “Mrs Bright was 80 years old and living alone. Items taken include her purse and contents, television and keys to her Honda Jazz motor vehicle which was in the garage and also taken.
“She was at home upstairs in bed. It turns out in fact she hadn’t locked the garage door, nor had she locked the side door from the garage into the house so there was no forced entry to her home.
“Mrs Bright got up at 7.30am on Saturday morning and she noticed her car had gone from the garage, her keys had been taken, along with her purse and TV from a back room.
“The vehicle was later found burnt out in Drift Way, Finchampstead.
“The TV was recovered which led to these defendants being arrested. The TV was sold on and traced and those people involved in the selling-on of the TV were cooperative with police.”
The court heard from a 17-year-old witness, who was at Hasler’s house that night, that the defendant and Justice went out wearing dark clothing and glasses and were saying they were “going to earn some money that night”.
Paul Trotman, defending Justice, said: “He was made redundant in February from TV sales. He said he was very short of money as a result of that. During this period of time he was drinking heavily and taking drugs.
“This was in fact his first offence and he assures me he is remorseful about committing this offence.”
The court heard Justice went on to commit other crimes including criminal damage, theft of a bicycle and shoplifting.
Justice was caught for stealing the bicycle, which was taken from a home in Crowthorne, when the owner tracked him down through a local shop’s CCTV.
Hasler had committed previous offences and continued to offend after the burglary.
Judge Mary-Jane Mowat said: “You both went out that night to steal in whatever way you could and make money. You were both under the influence of drink and drugs.”
The pair were each ordered to serve a 16 month prison sentence.
Hasler was just 16 when he was involved in a fracas outside the home of Alex Lee in The Conifers as Alex tried to move Hasler and his gang away from the family’s vehicle.
This prompted Alex’s stepdad Colin Philpott to intervene, stabbing the teenager repeatedly with a letter opener in July 2009.
Company director Mr Philpott was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but no charges were brought when the Crown Prosecution Service decided he was acting in self-defence and out of desperation at seeing his family member kicked unconscious.
After the sentencing Mr Philpott said: “It was a pity he doesn’t seem to have learnt anything from his previous brushes with the law.”
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