Exclusive:Bumbling Barnsley burglar left police trail of blood leading from 83-year-old neighbour's flat to his own
Jezdauckis was found by the “distressed“ pensioner “rummaging” around in her pantry
A bumbling Barnsley crook who had just burgled his 83-year-old neighbour left a trail of blood stains which police followed from her flat to his and led to his arrest, a court heard.
Ilgvars Jezdauckis, 37, had sustained a cut to his knuckle when he was found by the “distressed“ pensioner “rummaging” around in her pantry at around 2.30am on February 21.
Sheffield Crown Court heard after the shocked pensioner asked the defendant “what the bloody hell are you doing?” he replied “I’m taking this food for my mother”.
As well as £250-£300 of food, Jezdauckis made off with the woman’s £1,800 mobility scooter during the burglary at Barnsley’s Albion House on Union Street, said Neil Coxon, prosecuting.
He described how the OAP, whose door was unlocked, awoke at just after 2.30am to a “considerable amount of noise” coming from the kitchen.
After challenging Jezdauckis the pensioner phoned police in a “distressed state” and he fled, said Mr Coxon.
When police, led by the defendant’s blood trail, arrived as his flat in the same building the defendant came to the door and admitted the blood was his own. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary.
After being taken into custody in Barnsley Jezdauckis also told an officer of Northern Irish descent he was a foreign “c***”, said Mr Coxon.
In a statement read out to court the complainant described having lost confidence and being “nervous” if she hears noises”.
Jezdauckis’s barrister Francis Edusei said the offending was “unsophisticated”, adding: “This man was in no way being furtive and didn’t offer violence.” He added that Jezdauckis had a background of drugs.
The court heard Jezdauckis had nine previous convictions for 23 offences, including dishonesty, motoring and breaching orders.
Recorder Ayesha Smart told Jezdauckis: “What’s abundantly clear is you were smashing things up in the background and she was in considerable alarm and distress.
“The harm caused goes way beyond financial loss. This burglary in one’s own home is deeply distressing - to be targeted because of her vulnerabilities is particularly serious.
“In my judgement this is a sentence that is so serious that only immediate custody can be justified. You cannot target elderly, vulnerable people and steal from them in the middle of the night.”
Jezdauckis, formerly of Albion House, Union Street, Barnsley, admitted burglary and a racially-aggravated public order offence. He was jailed for 24 months.