New Brighton man who raided elderly couple's home is jailed for five years

Sep 24 2008 by Sue McCann, Wallasey News

A NEW Brighton man who raided the home of an elderly couple while they sat watching television was jailed for five years on Monday.

John Hackett stole jewellery during the burglary and Judge David Aubrey QC pointed out that it had been of great sentimental value and the incident had caused great distress to the victims.

They only realised what had happened when a suspicious neighbour, who had seen Hackett leaving the sheltered accommodation carrying a box, called round and asked if they had had a visitor.

While on bail for that offence, drug addict Hackett broke into the flat of a cycling instructor and trashed it while looking for property. The householder came home and caught him red-handed but after a struggle he let Hackett, who was “off his head” on drink and drugs, go.

During that incident, he dropped personal papers – leading to his identification – and also documents stolen from the handbag of a superintendent registrar, said Geoffrey Fryar, prosecuting.

Jailing him, Judge Aubrey said: “The only way householders of Wirral can sleep easily in their beds or have some sort of comfort when they go out is to deprive you of your liberty for a significant period of time.”

It was the huge sentimental, rather than the actual value of the stolen jewellery, that was important, he said.

Jewellery belonging to the elderly woman was later recovered; her husband’s, including a Father’s Day present of a ring with the word Dad, was still missing.

The judge said: “Just imagine for one moment the distress, anxiety, fear and trepidation they must have felt when they became aware that you have invaded their privacy.”

Liverpool Crown Court heard that 45-year-old Hackett, of Egerton Street, has 33 previous convictions, including seven for burgling and attempting to burgle homes.

He pleaded guilty to burglary at the couple’s home in River View Court, Wallasey, on June 19, burglary at the flat in Martin’s Lane, Liscard, on August 26, theft and possessing cannabis.

John Weate, defending, said: “He is thoroughly ashamed of being in this position.”

He said he was one of the people caught up the drugs explosion in Wirral in the 1980s and had never been able to get away from them.