LOCAL police have sent a clear warning to prospective criminals following the jailing of a burglar at Winchester Crown Court last Friday.
Peter William Sutherland, aged 31, of Barrack Road, Aldershot, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for burgling a home in Wheatley, near Kingsley, on June 21 last year.
Sutherland stole oil paintings, jewellery and photographic equipment. Two of the paintings were recovered after he was arrested and charged on July 31, but the rest of the stolen goods had already been sold.
Sutherland said in his defence that he had committed the offence to finance his drug habit and expressed remorse for his actions.
He had previous convictions for burglary and possession of controlled substances.
The officer in the case, Dc Nik Henshaw of Alton CID, said: ÒTo receive a four-year sentence for a single burglary offence is quite a lengthy sentence, and Judge Hooton did say that the sentence length was based on this offence alone.
ÒThe broadsheets have reported recently that the Court of Appeal has gone on record as saying that burglaries where harm or damage has been caused are more serious than those without.
ÒTo get a lengthy sentence where there was no harm or damage sends a very clear message.
ÒThe bottom line is that no type of burglary is acceptable, and people considering committing such an offence should think again.Ó