'Third strike' town centre burglar gets three years

Peter Berry, 46, of Dibdale Court, Lower Gornal, was convicted of entering a flat at in Shrewsbury and stealing the occupant's wallet.

It was his third burglary conviction in 12 years - activating the “three strike” rule and a prison sentence.

Berry was also found guilty of two counts of attempted burglary after kicking at two shop fronts in Shrewsbury town centre on the same night, November 1.

He had earlier admitted theft, after stealing CDs from a parked Fiat car outside the library. Shrewsbury Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Berry breaking the car window before reaching inside, and walking towards the railway station at about 1.30am. He then attempted to break in to Castle Banquet Sandwich Bar and Dana Chambers, both on Castle Gates, kicking out and causing damage to the doors.

David Farley, prosecuting, said that at about 3am the occupant' of a flat in Shrewsbury awoke to see Berry there. When he left, the occupant followed and realised his wallet, which contained a letter from his father, was missing. He confronted Berry, who was standing near the train station and told him he was travelling between Birmingham and Dublin, despite trains having stopped.

The occupant called police who questioned Berry, searched him and arrested him. When asked what he had on his person, he told them he had a knife and handed it over.

Representing Berry, Alexander Wright described it as “opportunistic, drunken offending”.

Judge Peter Barrie told Berry: “It is clear you had far too much to drink, and decided you would try to steal anything you could find.”

He sentenced Berry to three years for the burglary at the flat, 12 weeks each for attempted burglary and kicking the shop fronts, 24 weeks for stealing the CDs from the Fiat, and 146 days for possessing a knife in public. All will run concurrently.

Berry was convicted of burglary in 2006 and again in 2009. It meant his recent conviction activated the “three strike” statute.