Bradford burglar is caught by DNA on his hat

Gavin Windle, 37, stole the 40-inch Samsung television on New Year’s Day after breaking-in through the window of a bungalow. He was helped by an accomplice but was caught out when his DNA was later found on a hat left at the property, a court heard. Bradford Crown Court heard Windle’s early evening break-in had also been caught on CCTV equipment.

Judge Jonathan Rose was told that Windle, of Bradford, had previous convictions dating back to the mid-1990s and the latest offence meant he was now a “third-strike burglar”.

Prosecutor Camille Morland said that Windle had been jailed for more than five years in 2005 for robbery and in 2013 he had also been locked up for four years for fraud offences.

Prolific shoplifter Kirsty Barker, 27, helped Windle to carry out the burglary, but she later took steps to retrieve the stolen television so it could be returned to the female complainant.

Miss Morland told the court that the pair had also committed a variety of shoplifting offences late last year and Barker had nearly 60 convictions on her record.

During one of the shoplifting offences Windle was challenged by a male employee at a pharmacy who he swore at and threatened to butt him.

Windle was jailed for a total of 38 months after he admitted offences of burglary, theft and threatening behaviour.

Barker, of Bradford, was sent to prison for a total of 16 months for the burglary and shoplifting offences.

Lawyer Andrew Walker, for Windle, pointed out that his client had no committed a burglary for more than a decade.

He said after being released from prison last year Windle managed to get a job, but when the work dried up he returned to his previous drug-related lifestyle.

Rachim Singh, for Barker, said she had assisted in the burglary and had since apologised to the complainant.

Judge Rose told the pair that he would be “wasting his breath” if he lectured them about the damage caused by shoplifting and burglary offences.

He said both of them knew what damage was caused and neither of them cared one jot.

Judge Rose said crime had become a lifestyle for both of them and each of the preferred to be criminals going in and out of prison.