A burglar charged at a man while brandishing a hammer after he attempted to thwart the crook's getaway attempts.
Andrew Thompson callously targeted a house on Christmas Day while the homeowner was out having his Christmas dinner. It was also the victim's first Christmas without his mum, whose birthday happened to fall on December 25.
After being alerted to the break-in, his son rushed to the scene and boxed the burglar's car in on the driveway - which he responded to by ramming the vehicle which was blocking his escape. A judge told Thompson had "provided no goodwill to others whatsoever".
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Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that a neighbour witnessed the burglary in progress shortly before 1.30pm on Christmas Day last year and called the police and the occupant. A blue Suzuki had been seen reversing up to the address in Roby before a man emerged from the rear patio doors carrying bags, which he placed into the car.
During this time, the owner's son had been informed and made his way to the property from his own nearby home. Chris Taylor, prosecuting, described how he drove the "two minutes" distance and blocked the drive with his Ford Fiesta in order to hamper the offender.
Thompson, of Derna Road in Huyton, then approached him while raising a hammer above his head and shouting threats before getting into the driver's seat of his car. The 46-year-old rammed and damaged the other vehicle then maneuvered around it and onto a grass verge in order to flee.
A statement read out to the court on the complainant's behalf stated that the burglar had smashed his way through the patio doors and stolen items of jewellery including cufflinks from an upstairs room. He added: "No one has the right to break into my home address and steal."
The man and his wife were present in court during Thompson's sentencing, and he further told the judge that he had gone to have Christmas dinner with another of his sons when his home was targeted - adding: "It was the first Christmas without my mum, she passed away three months earlier. It was a day of reflection.
"That was totally spoiled. It would have been her birthday on Christmas Day, 86 she would have been."
Thompson has a total of 38 previous convictions for 116 offences. He was subject to a 45-month suspended prison sentence at the time of his latest break-in following burglaries at two banks in Huyton.
One at Lloyds Bank on Sherbourne Square on November 8 2022 saw him smash his way through a glass window and steal up to £6,000 before targeting Halifax on Derby Road one week later, being arrested at the scene and saying he "only did it because I didn't get my script". Thompson walked free from court only 11 days before he offended again.
John Rowan, defending, told the court: "This defendant is and should rightly be thoroughly ashamed of himself. This is a long, tumultuous record primarily driven by Mr Thompson's unrelenting addiction to heroin.
"Heroin destroys communities, heroin destroys lives. Heroin has destroyed Mr Thomson's life and had a significant impact on the victims of his offending as well.
"His life has been ruined by these drugs. He was withdrawing, and when Mr Thompson id withdrawn and without heroin he commits offences.
"He was given an opportunity, and he has thrown that opportunity away. He wants to get off drugs and become a more positive member of society.
"He still has time to turn his life around. Those days are dwindling very, very fast."
Thompson admitted burglary during an earlier hearing. Appearing via video link to HMP Berwyn, he was jailed for four years and eight months.
Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said: "Christmas Day is normally a day of celebration for all, one of goodwill to others. You provided no goodwill to others that day whatsoever.
"As far as your victim was concerned, it was not to be a day of celebration. It was to be a day of reflection.
"Unfortunately, his mother had died just three months prior to Christmas and this was to be his first Christmas without his beloved mother. Even a month later, when he was informing me of that fact, one could almost see the tears in his eyes - you have caused all of that by that which you did.
"I hope you will finally seek to do something about your drug addiction and also reflect on the impact your offending has had over the years - and certainly on December 25 last year. Ultimately, you and only you can do something about that addiction you have had for many a year."
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