Burglar's leg amputation fear after raid

A burglar may need his leg amputated after falling from the window of a flat he had broken into, a court heard as he was jailed for 36 months.

Lee Garratt broke into the flat above the Windmill Dental Practice, Windmill Hill, Halesowen, days after being given a suspended jail term for another burglary.

The Wolverhampton Crown Court hearing went ahead without Garratt present because he could not fit in the lift or get up the stairs with his injury.

Mr Geoffrey Dan, prosecuting, said entered the flat through a bathroom window just before 5am on September 24.

He said Garratt was disturbed by the owner of the flat - who also happens to be a dentist but not at that surgery - and jumped out of the window, breaking his leg.

Mr Dan said: "The resident was woken to the sound of broken glass. He saw the window was smashed and saw footprints on the toilet seat.

"The resident heard a thud and then screaming and saw the defendant lying on the ground below," said Mr Dan.

"He went outside and saw the defendant lying on the ground."

Mr Dan said Garratt urged the resident not to call police explaining that he thought he was breaking into the dentists surgery and not the flat.

Nothing was stolen during the break-in, which occurred just days after Garratt received a six-month suspended jail sentence on September 15 for another burglary.

The 35-year-old, of no fixed address, admitted the latest burglary and asked for three others - including two at Cradley Heath restaurants on September 18 and 21 - to be taken into consideration.

Jodie Smith, defending, pointed out her client's early guilty plea and added that the defendant may need his leg amputated because of his injury.

"He is aware that an element of natural justice may have been in place," she said.

She said that her client was committing the burglaries to fund a drug problem.

Judge Nicholas Webb said that the defendant had previously appeared in court on 16 occasions for burglary but said that most of these incidents did not involve homes.

"Lee Garratt has a dreadful record for burglary. This crime was committed nine days after Garratt received a six month suspended sentence for burglary and in that period he has also burgled two other premises," he said.

"It is clear he has a drug problem which he simply cannot control.

"It must have been alarming and frightening for the owner."

"He broke into the flat above the dental surgery then realising someone was inside he tried to escape. Its clear he was injured but that is not mitigation."

Judge Webb activated the six month suspended sentence and added a further 30 months for the other offences.