Jail for serial burglar in failed bid to paddle across Channel for new life

Paul Redford, 46, was on the run after committing thefts in Darlington and Blyth, Northumberland, dating back to 2011, when he had to be rescued a mile into the English Channel by the RNLI last month.

Teesside Crown Court was told Redford, a trialist for the English homeless football team, had 
broken into a holiday chalet in Camber, East Sussex, cooked food for himself and spent the night there.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said Redford spotted a kayak outside the holiday home the next morning and decided to head to France with only a child’s life jacket for safety.

Police were called by a member of the public who was concerned that Redford might be about to kill himself when he was spotted paddling out to sea in the kayak.

MJames Fenny, defending, said Redford, with 27 previous convictions for 83 offences, was not trying to flee justice so much as start afresh.

He had just left London having kicked drugs and was cold, desperate and hungry when he broke into the chalet.

“He gets into the boat and rather foolishly he sets out to start anew,” Mr Fenny said. “He presents very well as an intelligent, polite individual who away from drugs is a pleasant person.”

Judge Howard Crowson jailed Redford for two years and five months after he pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one of burglary.

“You have a really very bad record for dishonesty, there are a large number of burglaries,” said the judge. “You are capable of remaining out of trouble providing you can keep free of drugs.”

After Redford’s arrest last month a spokesman at Littlestone-on-Sea lifeboat station said: “He was quite amenable when we brought him ashore. We gave him a cup of tea and a bun and then the police took him away.”