Burglar finally fingered for Wolverhampton theft seven years ago
A burglary remained unsolved for seven years – because fingerprints of the defendant weren't of a good enough quality to link him to the case.
Tyrone Spence appeared in the city's crown court yesterday to plead guilty to burgling a house in Finchfield Road in May 2006. The 24-year-old stole jewellery, a games console, computer games and a camera from the home.
However despite him going through the court system on six occasions since then, fingerprints found from the scene were not matched to Spence.
The defendant, of John Howell Drive in Tipton, spoke only to confirm his name and plea at the hearing.
Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting the case, told the court: "A fingerprint was found which was not traced to this defendant until his fingerprints were taken again until January this year.
"My understanding is that the fingerprints the police would have taken from him were not of sufficient quality to make the match."
Spence had appeared in relation to other matters at Wolverhampton Crown Court in 2007, as well as magistrates' courts in 2010 and twice in 2012.
The judge presiding over the case, Recorder Nigel Daly, questioned why it had taken so long to bring Spence to court for the burglary.
"He's been before these courts on six occasions when he could have been dealt with," he said.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared ahead of Spence being sentenced next Thursday.
In October last year Spence was handed 60 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to possession of a fighting dog.
The dog – an American pit bull terrier – was not stopped by electric shock shields giving out 40,000 volts and police were forced to spray it with a fire extinguisher to subdue it, Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court heard.
