Boozy Welwyn Garden City burglar nabbed by police while asleep

A DOZY burglar was caught when he parked a �17,000 Mini he had stolen on the hard shoulder of the M25 for a snooze.

WGC man Jonathan Martin was woken by police in the black Mini convertible he had taken during a burglary hours earlier on September 10.

The trainee plumber refused to cooperate with police, but in court claimed he let himself in the open back door of the occupied five-bedroom house in Essendon, took the keys to the owner’s new Mini after crashing his work van nearby, and drove off while drunk.

St Albans Crown Court heard the 31-year-old from Watchlytes had previous convictions for driving offences and a long-term alcohol problem. Brian Richardson, defending, told the court Martin had suffered personal tragedy with the violent deaths of his uncle and aunt in Belfast and his brother committing suicide.

Mr Richardson said Martin was on medication for depression, which mixed with alcohol “took away his inhibition” leading him to carry out the “foolish, dangerous and criminal activity”.

Martin, who had pleaded guilty to burglary and being drunk in charge of a vehicle, had his fianc�e and mother of his two young children in court to support him.

Recorder Peter Crabtree, who imposed a ten-month suspended sentence and banned him driving for a year, said: “This took place overnight while occupied and is an extremely serious offence in my view.

“I accept it was impulsive and having regard to all the circumstances, custody can only be justified, but I am prepared to suspend it.”