Published date: 13 February 2017 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporter
A BURGLAR who struck at a Wrexham convenience store in the early hours of the morning was caught thanks to a DNA hit after he left traces of his blood at the scene.
Mark Charles Birchall, 35, was wearing a head torch when he targeted the chiller room at the back of the McColl’s Store in Dean Road, Wrexham, early one morning in September of last year.
Birchall, of Pentre Gwyn in Wrexham, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and today was told he was being given a chance.
Judge Rhys Rowlands gave him an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for a year. He was also placed on 20 days rehabilitation with £140 costs.
The judge told him he had a pretty bad record over the years, largely for dishonesty.
He had then previous convictions for burglary although some of them went back a long time.
But in 2012 his convictions had “a similar ring to them” where he had targeted the chiller room at another store.
On this occasion, he had gone prepared with a head torch in the early hours.
“It is not a fashion item in my neck of the woods,” the judge said.
“You were not going for a walk with that head torch – you were looking to steal something.”
The alarm went off and he made off with some soft drinks but other items of food had been left behind and could not be sold.
“You were traced because your blood was left at the scene,” he said.
It was serious because it was at night, he had a bad record, and he had equipped himself with the head torch.
But he had pleaded guilty, it was not a professional crime, he stole items of low value and no great damage was caused.
Birchall was now in a relationship and expecting a child which was an incentive to keep out of trouble, and he was no longer taking amphetamine which was his drug of choice.
The judge said he could either go to prison for a relatively short time or the probation service could “do something with you” under a suspended sentence.
“I have decided to take that risk with you,” he said.
Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing told how an alarm was activated at the premises at 3.55 am on September 24.
Police found trolleys had been disturbed, a head torch had been left in one of them, and the door to a chiller store at the back of the building had been damaged.
A box of chicken bites had been left outside and a stock take showed that £15 worth of Diet Cole had been taken.
Arrested after his DNA was found in a blood sample taken at the scene, he made no comment but produced a statement denying the offence.
He had previous convictions for 60 offences.
John Hedgecoe, defending, urged the court to give his client the chance of a suspended sentence so that the probation service could work with him. He was willing to co-operate.
http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/172438/suspended-sentence-for-burglar-traced-by-dna-following-raid-at-wrexham-store.aspx
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