Blackburn man stole lead and copper piping from businesses

Connor Doyle, 41, caused around £20,000 worth of damage to Edmondson's home furniture shop in Darwen Street between June 29 and July 1.

Without the lead on the roof, heavy rain during that time caused damage to the internal showrooms and resulted in all the carpets having to be replaced.

The company also had to pay for scaffolding to go up so the roof could be replaced.

Connor Doyle (Image: Lancashire Police)

CCTV showed the defendant on the roof stealing the lead, making off with as much as he could.

Later in the month, on July 9, police were advised a property insurance company in Preston Old Road had been the victim of a burglary.

Doyle entered the building through a first-floor window and stole copper piping and a chainsaw, worth around £500 and £300 respectively.

It was also reported he damaged a gas pipe on exiting the building.

Amy Weir, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, said Doyle had committed around 63 offences between 1999 and 2024, including a number of burglaries.

The offences also put Doyle in breach of several suspended sentences, including one imposed in May for 20 weeks, suspended for 18 months.

Sarah Hussell, in mitigation, said Doyle’s heroin addiction was “at the heart” of both of these offences and that he intended to sell the copper and the lead to fund his addiction.

She said before the imposition of the suspended sentence Doyle had self-referred himself to drug rehabilitation service Spark.

Preston Crown Court Sessions House (Image: Archive)

It was also said it was not a case of Doyle not wanting help as he is “not where he wants to be” and his addiction is “entrenched.”

Judge Graham Knowles, sentencing, said: “You’ve got a long and bad record. Heroin abuse is at the root of your problem.

“I’m afraid like lots of people in your position when you have been dealing with agencies on the outside it has all been on your terms.

“Life isn’t hopeless for someone with your history. There are people able to get away and stay away from it. I hope that time will come in your case.”

Doyle, of Nook Terrace, Blackburn, was sentenced to one year and seven months in prison, minus around nine weeks spent on remand.