Jailed Sheffield burglar's prison appeal branded '˜hopeless'

A Sheffield burglar caught driving a stolen sports car will serve an extra month behind bars after judges punished him for wasting court time.
Sheffield Crown Court.Sheffield Crown Court.
Sheffield Crown Court.

Barney Anthony Cawley sped off when police spotted him driving an Audi TT, taken during a break-in.

The 31-year-old, of Mather Road, Littledale, was jailed for five years at Sheffield Crown Court in May last year, after being found guilty of burglary.

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He admitted taking the car without consent, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

Cawley challenged his burglary conviction at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, arguing it was ‘unsafe’ because the trial judge misdirected the jury.

But his complaints were thrown out by three senior judges, who said his challenge was ‘totally hopeless’.

They added an extra 28 days onto his sentence for wasting judicial time.

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The court heard Cawley was identified as one of three men seen behaving suspiciously near a house that was broken into in 2014.

Later the same day, police saw him driving the Audi, stolen during the raid.

Officers tried to get him to stop, but he sped off, driving dangerously.

He was eventually arrested and admitted being in the car and knowing it was stolen but denied any involvement in the burglary. He was found guilty by a majority verdict of 10 jurors to 2.

But, dismissing his appeal, Judge Neil Bidder QC said: “This appeal is meritless. It has taken up court time and resources and this court should discourage such unmeritorious applications.”