Burnley vacuum cleaner thief jailed for 2 years

11:12am Thursday 31st July 2008

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A BURGLAR who stole a vacuum cleaner has been jailed for two years and five months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Daniel Cooban, 26, had two previous convictions for burglary and was facing a minimum three years behind bars- minus credit for owning up.

Cooban, who has already served jail terms for break-ins, had a long-standing drug addiction and wanted to get clean, the court was told.

The defendant, of no fixed address, admitted burglary at the property on Barden Lane, Burnley, between June 20 and July 4.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, told the court the family who lived in the burgled property had gone away and when they got back they found a note from the police saying they had been broken into.

The house had been ransacked. On June 28, police saw the defendant walking on Cardinal Street, Burnley, carrying a vacuum cleaner. He was arrested and when interviewed, claimed he had simply been returning the cleaner to a friend.

Miss Statham said the defendant was released. He was later rearrested and claimed the house had already been broken into. He said the television had been too big to steal. The defendant had 27 previous convictions and had served two prison sentences for burglary.

Adam Watkins, defending, said Cooban was entirely realistic about the position he was in. He was frank with police about his role in the offence and frank about his motivation.

The defendant, who had a long standing drug addiction, was determined to use what he knew would be a relatively long custodial sentence to get clean.