Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
David Huntley

Burglar who helped 'terrorise' family while ransacking home as kids slept upstairs jailed

A member of a burgling trio who "ransacked" a family home and left a mother fearing her family would be killed has been jailed.

Paul David Routledge, 34, Robert Jones, 27, and Josh Ward, 23, "terrorised" a family after they broke into their home in County Durham as two children slept upstairs and began trashing the property. The trio toppled furniture and left blood smeared on the walls as they goaded the man of the household to fight in the early hours of July 24, 2021.

The three intruders were found in the home by a mother, who was terrified they were going to kill her family. The frightening incident ended when the three men left the property, damaging cars in the street in the process.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.