£12k homes raider starts jail sentence

Kevin Wesley, with nine previous convictions for breaking into homes and 47 court appearances, broke into eight Wolverhampton homes between July 4 and September 13.

The 45-year-old stole goods worth £12,000 on his latest spree and none was recovered, a court heard.

He took £8,000 of jewellery from a house in Newbridge Crescent, Tettenhall, Miss Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.

The haul included items passed down to the owner by her mother and grandmother. She said afterwards:" I am devastated. Irreplaceable heirlooms have been lost for ever."

A woman whose home in Sharrocks Street, Horseley Fields, was raided said she now did not want to leave it in case it was raided again.

Miss Jones said drug addict Wesley used bricks to smash windows while people were out during the day.

Wesley sold to pawnbrokers or gold jewellery businesses to fund his habitafter eight raids on Wolverhampton homes, an attempted burglary and a theft.

Robert Perry, defending, said that Wesley took police to homes he targeted to "clean the slate". He added: "Drugs had taken hold of him and his habit spiralled out of control."

Father-of-three Wesley, of Nine Elms Lane, Park Village, admitted two charges of burglary and asked for 10 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Judge Michael Challinor said: "You are a practised burglar who puts the homes of people at risk when you are at large.

"You have done very considerable harm indeed with these burglaries, the effects of which will continue to resound with your victims for many years to come if not for the rest of their lives."