1:37pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
By Wendy Barlow
A HOUSE raider who struck for the first time when he was just 12 is behind bars for 16 months after his latest early hours crimes.
Robert MacIntosh, who was fresh out of prison, stole a car from his most recent victims, was chased by police and crashed it.
The car ended up on its side, smoking. He was trapped and officers had to force a door and haul him from the wreckage.
The defendant, who was drunk, had smashed into the wall of a brewery, Burnley Crown Court heard.
MacIntosh is still only 18, but is already a career criminal who has abused alcohol and drugs.
Jailing him, a judge said it was rare to be sentecing someone who was a “third strike” burglar at his age.
Judge Andrew Woolman said the defendant had been given various community penalties, but seemed to have breached them all.
His pre-sentence report made “miserable” reading.
The judge said MacIntosh had told probation officers he was going to change.
But he added: “I don’t see any signs of that. You had been out of prison seven weeks when you committed these offences.”
MacIntosh, of St Matthew Street, Burnley, admitted burglary and theft on April 23.
David Macro, prosecuting, said the victim went to bed at his home in Burnley at about 1.30am and awoke at 3am to a creaking noise.
He then heard his Peugeot 206 car start up at the front of the house and looked out to see the car being driven away.
Philip Holden, for MacIntosh, said it was conceded he had a poor record for his age.
He had a drink problem which had manifested itself particularly of late.
The barrister said: “He has, like so many others in this area and with that sort of background, taken a mixture of drugs.”
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