A prolific burglar and arsonist watched a pensioner leave her home to go to church before stealing £70K worth of items from her property.
Jack Swanson appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of burglary in a dwelling. Jo Maxwell, prosecuting, detailed that on December 3, 2022, the 74-year-old victim left her home in Bakewell, Derbyshire, to attend church.
Around 15 minutes later, she received a call from her security company that her alarm was sounding. She returned home to find the front patio door had been smashed.
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Ms Maxwell said: “She noticed immediately that property had been stolen, firstly cash to the sum of £50 that she had left on the side in the kitchen for the cleaner. She also noticed her Mulberry handbag worth £1,000 had been taken.
“She further explored her home and discovered in the main bedroom upstairs that her jewellery box was missing. The total sum taken was £70,474.”
Ms Maxwell explained a Fabergé charm worth around £12,000, a male and female designer watch, and several other expensive items were stolen. Forensic examination by police found blood in the bedroom, which was later linked by DNA to Swanson.
The 29-year-old was subsequently arrested and interviewed at the end of January, where he denied being in Bakewell but refused to answer most questions put to him. Victim personal statements written by the pensioner were read to the court by the prosecution, and detailed the long-lasting effects the burglary has had on her.
She said: “I was surprised by how shocked I have been that I was watched leaving the premises on a dark night, to find someone had been in my property. I never understood how much this could affect someone.”
In a second statement, two months later, she said she “still feels exactly the same”. The elderly victim detailed she feels very nervous leaving her house for fear it will be broken into again, and is often concerned she is being watched. The victim also highlighted the very high sentimental value of the items taken, as some were owned by her mum and grandmother, and have never been recovered.
Swanson, of Park Road, Kirkby, has 19 previous convictions for 37 offences, including several burglary and shoplifting convictions dating back to 2009, and further drug related offences.
In 2012, he was sentenced to eight years detention in a young offenders institute, later reduced to six years on appeal, after admitting conspiracy to commit arson. The ECHO previously reported he had been one of a group of young men hired by a pub landlady in 2010 to burn down the nearby Blue Anchor pub in Aintree which was taking business away from her.
Michael O’Brien, defending, said: “He is aware the only real mitigation he has is his guilty plea. His life is punctuated by crime and prison sentences.”
Mr O’Brien said his client has previously successfully worked as a landscape gardener and wishes to go back to that career when he is released from prison. He added that Swanson’s crimes are linked to his substance abuse, and he apologised to the victim for his actions in this case.
Mr Recorder R J Platt KC said: “He travelled some distance and this was a targeted attack. I am satisfied that you travelled to her address to further your career as a house burglar.
“The monetary value of things stolen was £70,000, but that does not begin to express the sentimental value of property of this type.” Swanson was sentenced to three years and four months custody, and the statutory victim surcharge applied.
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