Thief and heroin addict jailed for three Blackburn burglaries

The occupants of the homes were present in all three of the burglaries, with children asleep in at least two of the properties.

James Tweedy, 44, appeared at Preston Crown Court via video link from prison, and entered guilty pleas to three dwelling burglaries and four counts of fraud, which took place in Blackburn last month.

Prosecuting, Paul Cummings told the court the first burglary occurred at a property in Oxford Close at around 5.15am at the beginning of September, while a woman and her young child were asleep upstairs.

CCTV showed Tweedy enter this property, take a number of items, and then exit via an alleyway before returning to pick up more items just minutes later.

James Tweedy (Image: Lancs Police)

Mr Cummings said: “The complainant in this case found her bank card had been taken with two attempted transactions made for £21 and £22 at service station in Blackburn.

“CCTV footage from this store showed the defendant attempted to use the card just two hours after he was in the property.”

The court then heard that on September 9, Tweedy carried out two more house burglaries within a couple of hours of each other at properties in Mosley Street.

In the first, £40 was stolen from a kitchen drawer along with £722 worth of other items after Tweedy entered the house through an unlocked patio door.

In the second, two gold necklaces and two gold rings were stolen as well as a handbag containing bank cards, which again, Tweedy attempted to use at a shop in Blackburn some hours later.

Mr Cummings said: “He was arrested on September 15 and made no comment in interview.”

Tweedy, who has 30 convictions for 69 offences, 50 of which are theft, began taking heroin at a very young age, and moved around between Todmorden, where he was born, to Carlisle, where the majority of his crimes were committed.

He moved to Blackburn following his most recent release from prison and was living in a house-share and was managing to stay away from drugs and offending.

James Heyworth, in mitigation, said: “Then he met someone who was a heroin user, and he began using drugs again, and it was around that time he returned to offending.”

Judge Darren Preston said Tweedy had an “awful record” and was “getting too old” for this type of thing.

In sentencing, he said: “You don’t need me to tell you that burglary isn’t necessarily the most serious offence in terms of property stealing but the most serious aspect is the invasion of privacy.

“When people’s homes are violated by people like you they can be affected for months and years to come, but you will know that because you are a prolific and consistent burglar with an awful record.

“And getting into your mid-40s you are getting too old for this type of thing.”

Tweedy was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.