A prolific burglar raided the newly refurbished Accrington Town Hall ballroom and a travel agents because of ‘problems with his benefits’.
William McCann, of Grange Street, Accrington, was captured on CCTV at both premises and identified by police as he was ‘well known to them’, Burnley Crown Court heard.
The 43-year-old heroin and alcohol addict, who has 36 convictions for 102 offences, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and was jailed for 14 months.
Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court how McCann had committed these offences while on licence for convictions of burglary in Accrington last year against a doctors surgery and solicitors office.
The court heard how Rachel Power, manager of Althams travel agents on Blackburn Road in Accrington, was alerted by police at around 3pm on January 4 this year to a ‘disturbance’ at the building.
She went there with her husband and found a window on the first floor had been smashed and McCann’s blood left at the scene.
Miss Kehoe said CCTV footage later showed McCann looking through draws and cabinets and she said he ‘is a man well known to the police’.
Two days later at around 10.30am, McCann was spotted in restricted areas inside Accrington Town Hall by cleaning staff.
Miss Kehoe said CCTV showed him entering through the main doors and then up a rear stairwell before raiding the ballroom alcohol cupboard of spirit bottles.
When arrested McCann said he was ‘drunk and couldn’t recall anything’ about the Althams burglary and admitted the offence at the Town Hall.
Miss Kehoe said: “It’s clear this is a record of somebody who has committed offences of dishonesty throughout his offending history.”
James Heyworth, defending, said: “He accepts the facts as outlined and unfortunately for him it’s yet another burglary offence on his record.
“When the offence was committed he had difficulty with his benefit payments through the job centre reducing payments as he was late for an appointment. He was not stealing to finance his heroin addiction. He is no longer using heroin.”
Sentencing, Recorder Paul Reid QC said: “You had difficulties with benefits but you chose, as you have done on previous occasions, to commit offences of burglary.”
