City burglary accomplise jailed

A burglar who helped raid a Wolverhampton house to fund his drug addiction has been jailed for 15 months.

The victim was a close relative of the accomplice of 28-year-old Darren Thomas, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Thomas was seen carrying a stolen television after the break-in at Wayside, Pendeford, claimed prosecutor Kate Thomas.

He later sold the TV along with computer games that had also been taken during the burglary.

Correspondence taken from the address during the raid was later found at his home, the court was told.

Thomas claimed to have met his accomplice Stuart Oliver in the street after the property had been stolen last July, but admitted that it was a joint enterprise.

Mr Jon Roe, defending, said: "It was a chance meeting but he knew the goods were stolen. He had no money and needed ready cash to buy drugs."

Thomas, from Great Brickkiln Street, Wolverhampton, admitted burglary. Oliver, of no fixed address, was jailed for 18 months by a different court at an earlier hearing.