Exclusive:Sheffield man's footprints in newly-laid cement led neighbour to his doorstep after burglary
Whitham wept as the former fellow resident said the offences were “harder” to take because they were committed by a neighbour
A dopey Sheffield thief literally put his foot in it by leaving prints in newly-laid cement while burgling his neighbour’s home - which led the fellow resident to the culprit’s doorstep, a court heard.
Cory Whitham, 23, stole tools and a laptop worth £1,000 during the burglary at Skelwith Road, Grimesthorpe, on June 1.
The property’s owner - a college lecturer - had lived there for 10 years but was having it renovated it for his family at the time.
Bev Wright, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court: “He left the property on June 1 at 11pm and came back at 8am the following morning to find it had been entered.
“He found some footprints in the cement that had just been laid and eventually realised the defendant who lived next door to him was the perpetrator.
“There was a conversation between them and he asked the defendant if he knew anything about it and the defendant eventually admitted he had some involvement and he would pay for the goods but he never did.”
Curtis Dunkley, representing Whitham, said his client had been addicted to drugs from the age of 13 and was “extremely remorseful”.
The defendant wept as the former fellow resident said in a statement read to the court that the offences were “harder” to take because they were committed by a neighbour.
The court heard the first time the pair met Whitham greeted his Asian neighbour with the traditional Arabic greeting as-salamu alaykum, meaning "peace be upon you”, which “seemed” a “warm and respectful gesture”.
The complainant added that the work in progress that was to be the family’s “forever home” had been violated.
However he said: “I understand that people do not become involved in this kind of thing without being failed somewhere along the way - I truly hope you get the help you need.”
The court heard Whitham had other convictions for shoplifting and theft, however they were committed around the same time of the burglary, indicating “something had gone wrong”.
Judge David Dixon told Whitham: “You had not been in trouble before this period of time when things have gone massively wrong.
“Life going wrong effectively had been the result of a horrible start in life. Drugs, the wrong people, things going worse, more drugs, dishonesty.”
The judge said “normally” there would be “other options” than custody, however the defendant had been “frank enough” to admit he would not comply with work in the community.
Witham, of Dryden Way, admitted burglary. He was jailed for 16 months.