Bungling thief rang victim of the Blackpool home he burgled to make threats

Jason Longstaff, 46, and currently of HMP Preston, had been invited to stay at an address on Abbeyville Road, Squires Gate, Blackpool, by the son of the homeowner, Preston Crown Court was told.

But he was forced to leave after an argument.

The court heard around a month later, on February 28, he was seen at the back of the address, where he was disturbed by a neighbour’s dog barking.

He fled with items but left behind a mountain bike. However, a short time later he returned to the scene, stealing a Dyson vacuum cleaner worth £349.

Bungling Longstaff effectively gave himself away when he rang his former friend and threatened to hurt him if he indicated it was Longstaff who had committed the offence.

He also left his blood smeared on a broken window he had used to get into the property.

He pleaded guilty to one count of burglary. A second count of burglary concerning his return will lie on the file.

Judge Andrew Jefferies QC said: “ You had been allowed to stay at an address by the son of the owner but for reasons that aren’t important to this case you fell out and the invitation was withdrawn.

There was damage caused in your entry into that property – a ground floor window – and blood was left. There had been an attempt to remove the TV and damage to windows and locks, with around £1,000 of repairs needed.

“The statement of the victim makes it clear the emotional distress caused to anybody by burglary offences.”

He said the matter was aggravated by the fact it happened during hours of darkness, the threat to the person he knew, and his criminal record, which has 58 convictions for 148 offences.

The judge noted he had had an 11-year gap in his offending, during which he had worked, but had returned to crime after he lost his job.