A burglar who was tracked down after a social media appeal and a man who attacked his victim with a rusty machete are among those jailed in Suffolk and Essex this week.
Clacton burglar
A burglar who was identified following “an overwhelming response” to a social media appeal has been jailed for more than two years.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how a man returned to his home in Orwell Road, Clacton, on September 7 this year to find someone had broken in.
Various items, including £600 in cash – which was saved for a holiday – £100 in loose change, video games and tools, had been stolen but the burglary was captured on the victim’s CCTV.
The footage showed a man – later identified to be Liam Dixon – attempting to climb up a drainpipe of the building, which later broke and gave way.
Dixon, 28, was also captured on CCTV jumping out of the window with a yellow bag containing the stolen items.
Essex Police then released images of the burglar on the force’s social media channels in an attempt to identify him.
The force said it received “an overwhelming response” from people in Clacton who recognised Dixon, and he was arrested and charged.
Dixon of Coopers Lane, Clacton, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court. He was subsequently jailed for 28 months.
Machete attack
A drug addict who attacked a man he believed had supplied drugs to a woman who died from an overdose has been jailed for 34 months.
Jimmy Roberts went to a house in Suffolk Road, Sudbury, armed with a rusty machete which had a 10-inch blade and used it to inflict a 10cm cut to Martin Andrews’ head and bruising to his legs, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Following his arrest, Roberts claimed that Mr Andrews had sold methadone to a woman called “Tracy” who had died from an overdose.
The court heard that on the day in question Roberts was also worried that Mr Andrews might supply drugs to a woman at the house who had serious health problems and had recently been released from hospital.
Roberts, 38, of Grenville Road, Sudbury, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Andrews and possession of a knife in Suffolk Road, Sudbury, on May 2 and was jailed this week.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here