A ‘CAREER criminal’ who stole a safe and cameras from a primary school was handed a suspended prison sentence.

Burnley Crown Court heard William John Penman, 30, broke into Pendle View Primary School at 1am on June 23.

CCTV at the Colne-based school showed Penman, of Fir Street, Nelson, and another man with distinctive clothing break into the school with a shovel, the court heard.

The prosecution said the men used the shovel to get inside the classrooms and searched them.

The men took a safe worth £300 as well as four cameras.

The safe was found damaged by police officers in a nearby woodland, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Keith Harrison said Penman’s accomplice, Stephen Storey, 41, of Fir Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and was given four months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay a £500 compensation order.

He said: “The money was taken from the uniform and breakfast club and dinner money fund.

“It is not a big amount but it is school money.

“Arguably they caused a significant loss.

“They had gone through draws, I would not call it a ransacking but they had a good look around.

“There must have been looking for it because they took torches and they took at least one glove.”

The court heard Penman had committed several crimes since 1998 which included theft, burglary and handling stolen goods.

Defending, Gary Lawrenson, said the curfew he had served since June last year would count as a six-and-a-half month sentence. He said: “His curfew is from 7am to 7pm and it is a real deprivation of liberty for him because of his seven-year-old daughter.

“She has ADHD and is challenging for him to look after.

“He has had a nine-month sentence hanging over him.

“The family have had severe problems over the last year, the defendants mother had died.

“Their uncle has died and other family members have died.

“He is showing signs of improvement, but slow signs of improvement.”

Penman, who originally pleaded not guilty later admitted two counts of burglary and was jailed for 56 weeks.

Judge Fiona Ashworth said: “This would have had a detrimental impact on the community.

“Clearly you are a career criminal.

“You stole from children, you knew what you were doing at the school.

“You went with torches, you were equipped.

“You clearly show you are a career burglar, the offence was committed at night.”