A man who was involved in the robbery of a man and woman before going on to commit a spate of burglaries has been jailed.
Aiden McMahon had recently been released from prison when he was involved in a robbery where he stole a woman's handbag in the early hours of the morning. A month later, he committed a series of burglaries in High Heaton and was caught in one property when a woman woke up to find him in her room wearing a balaclava.
On Thursday, McMahon, 24, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for robbery, theft and counts of burglary. He had admitted the offences.
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The court heard that McMahon, of Westgate Road, Newcastle, had been released from a prison sentence on July 8 last year and was on supervision. But that same month, he went on to commit robbery with another man.
Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said in the early hours of June 27, a man and woman were on Westgate Road making their way home when they were approached by two men near to Tilleys Bar. He said: "The man was looking at this phone when he heard someone say 'Give us your phone' He said 'no' and the first man walked to him and repeated the demands.
"He punched him to the left side of the face and then grabbed his phone. This defendant, who was acting in support, grabbed the woman's handbag and the men ran off."
The court heard that a member of the public found the woman's handbag in the street days later and managed to return it to her. She discovered that £30 cash had been taken along with a vape pen. McMahon was later identified from CCTV and his co-accused was subsequently jailed for three years for his playing his part.
Mr Bunch said a month after the robbery, McMahon was involved in a spate of burglaries in High Heaton on August 28. An address on Acton Place was targeted along with a home on a nearby street where a car was almost stolen.
The court heard that McMahon and another intruder - who were wearing balaclavas - broke into a property on Sefton Avenue and woke up a woman after entering her bedroom and rifled through her backpack. Mr Bunch said: "The complainant shares the address with other tenants and she was woken up by the sound of voices she didn't recognise.
"Two males were in her bedroom, one with a torch on looking through her backpack. She screamed and both males ran away. Both were wearing balaclavas and nothing was stolen."
As the woman screamed, another tenant was woken up and later found £330 cash had been stolen from her. McMahon and the other intruder had entered the building by smashing their way into the kitchen, the court heard.
Mr Bunch said that McMahon then ventured over to student accommodation at Camden Court and caused £600 damage by gaining entry. When he was caught hiding, McMahon became aggressive to the person who discovered him and threatened to stab them.
Speaking of the robbery, Andrew Walker, defending, said McMahon's co-accused used violence on the man, but that there was no suggestion McMahon had been violent towards the woman, saying the robbery was a "spontaneous decision".
He added: "He joined in with the burglary spate of offending within a close area and in a short time scale. He is still a relatively young man with a poor record. He is an enhanced prisoner and is currently making real efforts inside to address the reasons for his offending."
Judge Edward Bindloss jailed McMahon for five years.
