Burglar jailed for copycat pub raid

A burglar, who raided a pub while serving a suspended sentence for an identical offence, has been jailed for more than 16 months.

James Quillan caused around £2,000 of damage when he broke into the Old Bush pub in Walsall Road, Pelsall, last month. The 34-year-old tried unsuccessfully to force his way into the till.

He did, though, manage to break into a gaming machine, taking an unknown amount of cash.

It was drops of blood left at the scene by Quillan, of Dolphin Close, Walsall, that led to his conviction, Mr Mark Rees, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.

"The front door was forced open and once the defendant got inside, the gaming machine was forced open," he said.

Mr Rees said the gaming machine was "completely smashed open".

At the time of the burglary, Quillan was serving a 44-week suspended sentence for breaking into the King George Pub, in Wallows Lane, in January last year.

Judge Martin Walsh told Quillan: "On May 18 you were sentenced for an identical offence. It was made perfectly clear then that if you committed a further offence you could expect to have your suspended sentence activated in addition to any sentence imposed for a later offence."

Quillan was sentenced to 12 months for a count of burglary, which he pleaded guilty to on December 22 at Walsall Magistrates Court.

He will also serve 17 weeks of his suspended sentence.

These are set to run consecutively.