Swansea Crown Court heard David James Conibeer has spent most of the last 10 years in prison for burglaries
A CAREER burglar who broke into two student houses and stole laptops and coursework just a fortnight after being released from jail is back behind bars.
A judge condemned the actions of David James Conibeer, saying it had been a "mean" thing to do to steal from young people who were trying to better themselves through education.
Swansea Crown Court heard Conibeer has six previous convictions for breaking into people's homes, and has spent most of the last 10 years in prison.
Conibeer, aged 35, of Woodford Road, Blaenymaes, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary when he appeared in the dock.
James Hartson, prosecuting, said that on October 2 Conibeer broke into a property on King Edwards Road in Brynmill, stealing a Sony laptop, purse, money and driving licence. Six days later he broke into a house in Rhyddings Terrace in Brynmmill, again taking a laptop — the barrister said the machine contained the victim's dissertation for her university degree.
In both break-ins the burglar had got access to the ground-floor bedrooms through insecure windows but had left his finger prints at the scenes — in one house his prints were on the inside of the window; in the other on an electrical socket.
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The court heard Conibeer has 14 convictions for 29 offences, including six for burglaries. Since 2005 he has received prison sentences totalling 14-and-a-half years.
His last conviction was in September 2014 when he was sentenced to four years — he had been released after serving half that time in custody and had only been out of prison for a fortnight when he committed the October offences.
The court heard victim impact statements from the students — both female — which said the break-ins had left them feeling fearful and paranoid. One of the students said she was now frightened to leave her room even to pop into the kitchen to make a make a cup of tea in case someone broke in.
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Andrew Evans, for Conibeer, said his client's adult life had been blighted by heroin, and that he had spent "most of the last 10 years in custody".
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He said: "He always leaves custody with the best of intentions — but aged 35 with his record he finds it impossible to find employment, and his associates all have their own issues."
Judge Geraint Walters told Conibeer he had a dreadful record for committing dwelling burglaries — and until the defendant resolved to change his life it seemed the cycle of offending would not be broken.
He said: "At the age of 35 you have made lots of life decisions — rather poor ones, it has to be said.
"These two students were studying to better themselves, and what did you do? You stole their laptops, in other words you stole their course work — I cannot think of a much meaner thing to do.
"And all for what? A few tens of pounds here and there."
The judge added that he would like to send Conibeer for longer that he was able.
Sentencing Conibeer to three years, the judge said the defendant was becoming "rather pitiful", and he suggested he spend some of his time in prison thinking about what he was going to do with his life upon his release.
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