Raider who was confronted by victim is jailed

Ryan Sheldon, who had already raided the garden shed, was standing at the back door and holding a large spanner, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

“The woman was absolutely petrified, thinking he was going to smash the window,” said Mr Neil Ahuja, prosecuting.

“She told him to leave but he did not move until she started swearing. Then he began to walk away pulling a blue suitcase.” It was unclear if he had brought this with him or taken it from the shed.

The 28-year-old broke into a run when told the police had been called and was followed by the woman who saw him climb over a fence into an alleyway. Then her partner and nephew reached the scene and detained the culprit until officers arrived.

The blue suitcase held tools stolen from the garden shed while around £400 worth of damage was done to the back door of the house in New Street, Quarry Bank, it was said.

Mr Stephen Hamblett, defending, said Sheldon, who had 23 previous convictions involving 33 offences, had mental health problems and a ‘chronic’ drug addiction which had led to him being stabbed a month before the April 6 break in.

The defendant, of Northfield Road, Netherton, was jailed for a year after pleading guilty to attempting to burgle the house and breaking into the shed.

Judge Michael Challinor told him: “The woman occupant thought you were going to smash your way into the house, with all that entails.

“She was significantly shaken by that and is still feeling the effects in that she does not feel safe in her own home.”