Burglar John Cawley was finally sentenced on Tuesday January 26, 2021, for burgling a Luton widow’s home over four and a half years ago.
Cawley, now 24, broke into the house in Castle Croft Road in May 2016, taking a locket that had been given to the 77-year-old woman by her late husband when she was 21.
Prosecutor Oliver Wellings told Luton Crown Court the locket, that contained photographs of the couple, was of great sentimental value. He said the break-in happened in the day-time when the victim, who lived alone, was out.
She returned to find a side door broken and smashed glass on the kitchen floor. A messy search had been carried out and a digital camera was also stolen.
Cawley’s DNA was found on the side door and a pillow case. Mr Wellings said a week earlier two men had called at the house, one of whom could have been Cawley.
In September 2018 Cawley was one of three men who tried to break in a house in Downview, Luton. CCTV showed Cawley trying to push open the front door. Another man also tried to kick open the door while a third used a crow bar.
They were disturbed and left. A week later three men tried get into a house was that was being renovated in Stanford Road, Luton. The front door was forced, causing £1,000 damage.
They ran off “garden hopping” in an attempt to getaway. Cawley was caught trying to hide behind a vehicle.
He told the police: “Look lads. I am not going to chat s… to you. I go around and look for tools.”
He was charged but did not attend court and was not arrested until May last year. Cawley, of Long Meadow, Dunstable appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to burglary, attempted burglary, burglary with intent to steal and failing to appear in court. He had 28 previous convictions.
Defending, Anne Faul said Cawley and his solicitor were unaware about what was happening in the 2016 burglary case as he had been released under investigation by the police.
She said he had moved home and did not see the letter telling him of the court appearance. She said he had spent 20 days in custody and the equivalent of a 4 month and three day sentence on an electronic curfew for 251 days.
Ms Faul said: “He is now focused on looking after his family and leading a law-abiding life. He has three children and his wife put him on the straight and narrow.”
Cawley addressed the judge directly saying: “All I can be is sorry. I don’t deserve my wife and children – they are my life. My life has changed. I will not do anything like this again.”
Recorder Patrick Fields told him the locket had been of “enormous sentimental value.”
He said burglars like him steal the possessions and piece of mind of elderly and vulnerable people. “That lingers with them for the rest of their lives,” he said.
The judge said he had no doubt that Cawley was one of the people who had called at the widow’s door a week before. He passed a total sentence of 23 months suspended for two years. He must carry out 30 days’ rehabiliation.
