Haslingden gambler’s 40 burglaries to pay for addiction (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Haslingden gambler’s 40 burglaries to pay for addiction

10:00am Monday 1st March 2010 in

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A GAMBLER launched a one-man crime spree on schools, firms and community centres to find cash for his addiction.

Peter Everall, 36, carried on after being caught twice by police and in total carried out more than 40 raids.

He repeatedly struck at buildings across Rossendale and Burnley – including a special needs school – looking for electrical items and goods he could sell.

Everall, of Hudrake, Haslingden, who has more than 200 previous convictions going back to 1985, began his most recent catalogue of crime at Haslingden Conservative Club, where he tampered with the alarm during opening hours.

Burnley Crown Court heard that he went back in after hours and helped himself to two televisions and several hundred pounds worth of cash from a gaming machine.

Police found the televisions at his home and he took them to where other stolen property was stashed.

He was bailed but then committed six more burglaries, targeting three schools twice, one in Burnley and two in Haslingden.

Everall twice visited Belmont Special School, Haslingden, where he took the school transit van.

He was bailed again and then broke into Winfields, Haslingden, Grane Mill and a business in Knowsley Road.

One of his lines if confr-onted was that he was looking for a dog, the hearing was told. Everall admitted four burglaries.

He had been committed for sentence by magistrates after owning up to six burglaries and taking a vehicle without consent.

He asked for another 31 burglaries to be considered. He was jailed for 20 months.

Everall had also been sent to prison for 56 days just before last Christmas for burglary, the court heard.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Everall went into Belmont School after pupils had left but staff were still there.

He was challenged and said he was looking for the head teacher, looking for a job, or searching for a dog. He took the keys for the van, drove off in it, but the vehicle was recovered.

Sarah Johnston, for Everall, said the burglaries were opportunistic and he had not caused any damage.

He repeatedly targeted schools and community centres, offences which would have a high impact on the wider community.

She said the defendant had an appalling record for dishonesty and a history of flouting previous court orders.

Mrs Johnston added that the defendant had suffered three bereavements last year.

It included the suicide of his brother-in-law.

Everall's partner had given birth five months earlier and had recently become ill.

She said that Everall claimed all the community orders he had been given failed to address the heart of the problem which was his gambling.