A man accused of burglary whose tools were found on the roof of an Ipswich store has said he never used to them to try to break in.
Michael Vincent took to the stand at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, where he told the jury that he had been sleeping rough for around six weeks before the attempted burglary of the former Sports Direct store in Carr Street, Ipswich, is alleged to have taken place in May 2023.
Vincent, 53 and of the Cedars Hotel, Stowmarket, has denied trying to burgle the store. He has also denied damaging a roof and ventilation equipment belonging to Sports Direct on the same date.
He told the court that he had entered the stairwell of the store – where he and another man were found by police in the early hours of May 27, 2023 – to sleep, since the place was enclosed, sheltered, and free from passers-by.
A woman who lived in a nearby block of flats had told the police that she was awoken at about 1.15am on the day in question by “loud banging”.
Vincent told Mark Tomassi, prosecuting, that he may not have been at the stairwell at the time, as in his experience homeless people often walked the streets until 3am or 4am before finding a place to sleep.
The woman told police that she believes she had seen two men in their 20s on the roof of the building. However, Vincent denied that this was him.
When police attended the discovered Vincent and another man. The pair did not give their names, and were told to move on by police.
Vincent said he had left several bags of items on the upper floors of the stairwell which he left behind, not wanting to admit to the police he had done so. He said that these included bags of clothes and tools.
Vincent said that he used the tools carry out occasional work as a mechanic, but retrieving clothes was his priority. He said that he went back for his clothes some hours later.
When the store manager of Sports Direct examined the roof in daylight, he found significant damage had been caused to a ventilation shaft on the roof of the premises, a torch that had been left on and a rucksack containing tools and a letter with Vincent’s name on.
Vincent denied having used the tools to carry out the alleged burglary. He also denied having seen anybody else in the stairwell that night.
All evidence has now been put to the jury, which is expected to retire on Monday.
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