Raider who took TV avoids jail sentence

A man who claimed he burgled a disabled woman’s flat to get back at her because she had hit him with her walking stick has avoided being sent to prison.
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Crime news

Richard McEwan said he had gone round to the woman’s address the day before to tell her her friend was ill but she struck him with the stick, Blackpool magistrates were told.

He returned next day and stole her television, but had only just got out of the door when a neighbour put him under citizen’s arrest and took the TV back off him.

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McEwan, 39, of South Promenade, St Annes, pleaded guilty to burglary.

He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, put on 18 months court supervision with an alcohol rehabilitation course and ordered to pay £85 costs plus £80 victims’ surcharge.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said McEwan burgled the home of a 42-year-old disabled woman who lived in Lightburne Avenue, St Annes on March 27.

One of the woman’s neighbours saw him leaving her home at 7.15pm with a television and stopped him.

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McEwan at first said the TV was his but the neighbour did not believe him.

When interviewed McEwan told police he had gone round to the woman’s home the day before to tell her a friend was in hospital.

She then hit him with her walking stick.

Paul Robinson, defending, said McEwan had originally come to the area to spend time in a drug rehabilitation unit at St Annes.

He decided to live here and had been off drugs for two-and-a-half years.

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McEwan had first gone round to the disabled woman’s home with good motives to tell her her partner was ill.

He said she had hit him with her walking stick and childishly he wanted to get back at her so he took the TV.