Nelson burglar ‘set up’ over blood smears

Martin Dwyer knew his victim and claimed she owed him cash. When he went to her home in Nelson in the early hours and she wasn’t in, he smashed the door, entered and helped himself to £60-worth of coins in a box and a 40in. television, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Dwyer had not long been out of jail after being locked up for house burglary and has since been recalled to prison. The defendant (25), of Moore Street, Nelson, had admitted burglary last December 10th and was jailed for 12 months.

Miss Sarah Statham (prosecuting) said the victim, who lived in Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, knew the defendant.

She left her home secure about 1 a.m. and returned just before 6 a.m. to find her front door had been smashed and the television, cash, a ring and five mobile phones were missing.

Miss Statham said there was a large amount of blood close to the smashed front door, tests showed it belonged to the defendant and he was arrested. He was questioned and did not make admissions to the police. He claimed he had hurt his hand previously and perhaps someone had got hold of his gloves and planted blood at the scene. Dwyer had been released from jail in October, two months before the raid, after serving a 12-month sentence.

Mr Mark Stuart, for Dwyer, said he had currently been recalled on a 28-day basis. He believed the householder owed him money.

The defendant had been drinking and went to her house, expecting her to be in. He saw the lights on, knocked on the door, got no answer, broke the door and went in and took goods he thought were to the value of what he was owed.

Mr Stuart said Dwyer, who had six GCSEs even though he had been sent to a pupil referral unit, had not planned to break into the property in the middle of the night. The barrister continued: “He accepts he’s done wrong and he accepts he is going to go to custody.”

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendant he had literally broken into somebody else’s house. She continued: “There is no excuse for ever doing that and invading their space at night.”