A serial burglar who broke into the house of an 81-year-old woman was brought to justice after the victim's grandson managed to track him down. Daniel Bridges took cigarettes, perfume and a purse from the terrified pensioner's bungalow before brazenly trying to sell the cigarettes to one of her neighbours.
Outraged by the crime, the victim's grandson conducted some amateur detective work to hunt down the 39-year-old and confront him over the burglary, Hull Crown Court heard. Bridges, of Gee Street, off Hessle Road, Hull, admitted to the theft on August 19.
Prosecutor David Godfrey said that the elderly victim was at her home on Minehead Road, Bransholme, at roughly 4pm when she noticed that two packets of cigarettes, perfume and a purse containing a bank card were missing from her handbag in a bedroom.
She saw Bridges, who had convictions for 105 previous offences, walk past a window and immediately called her husband, who went out to try to track the down the thief. He spotted the defendant visiting the home of a female neighbour, Hull Live reports.
Bridges, who had known the woman for 30 years, sold her the two packets of cigarettes and tried to get her to buy the perfume.
Furious that his grandparents had been targeted, the couple's grandson made several calls to a phone number he had for the convict. He then drove around Bransholme to try and find Bridges. "By chance, he saw him at North Point shopping centre," said Mr Godfrey.
The grandson then confronted the defendant, who maintained he was innocent. "He initially denied that he was even called Daniel," said Mr Godfrey. "He denied that he was the man he was looking for. The defendant ran off."
However, in his hurry to escape, Bridges left behind a bag containing items in the name of D. Bridges. He was arrested by police the next day. "It's of concern that he targeted the address of two elderly people," said Mr Godfrey.
The 81-year-old woman later said: "This whole incident has made me feel empty. I am frightened and living in fear in my own home. I feel isolated. I can't stand the thought of a stranger in my bedroom. Since this has happened, I haven't been able to sleep. I sit on the edge of the bed scared of what might happen."
Bridges had convictions for 105 previous offences and was a fifth-strike burglar. He was also in breach of a 12-week suspended prison sentence he received on April 21 for a robbery at the Gregg's in Kingswood.
Reading out a letter to the court from prison, Bridges said: "How can I apologise to you? Words cannot express the guilt and remorse I feel to the people I have hurt. I didn't want this to happen, nor did I plan this."
He said that he had been drinking and taking drugs at the time. "Now I sit and think about the cowardly, disgusting thing I have done. It was a disgusting and selfish act that I committed.
"I take 100 per cent responsibility for my actions. I know that sorry won't fix things. I am really shocked at myself. I think now about how I can make things better. I would like to write a personal letter of apology. I really am so, so, so sorry for what I have done and the people I have hurt."
Bridges added that he wanted "work on all the things that are wrong with me" and said he had "a lot of problems in my head". He also claimed that he wanted to do participate in charity work "to show young people that there is more to life than crime and prison".
Benjamin Donnell, mitigating, said: "He clearly has insight into what he needs to do. He needs to use that time in custody wisely.
"He now has the opportunity to do work and move on with his life." Bridges needed to break the cycle of "an ever-revolving door in and out of prison".
Recorder Felicity Davies told Bridges: "This was deliberate targeting of an elderly couple's bungalow, given your knowledge of the area and your knowledge of the neighbour. You have a dreadful record in terms of length."
Bridges, formerly of Padstow House, Bodmin Road, Bransholme, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison. The sentence included a consecutive two months for breaching the suspended sentence.
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