A serial burglar who steals as a way to fund a drug addiction has been locked up again.
Mark James has been locked up for several years in connection with two burglaries that left the house occupants feeling terrified and violated.
A sentencing hearing at Truro Crown Court today (Wednesday January 15), head how James, 46, from Porthoustock, St Keverne on the Lizard peninsula, broke into a 92-year-old man’s house in Penzance on April 1, 2022, stole jewellery worth £100 and left the house in a mess.
Zoe Kuyken, prosecuting, said that when the elderly gentleman occupier had returned to his home that day he discovered that two windows had been broken, and an untidy search of his home had been carried out. He also found a chisel that didn’t belong to him within the premises.
The occupier also found blood in a drawer which was later and DNA matched to James. On May 17 that year, James also broke into a house in a cul-de-sac also in Penzance, after driving there and leaving his own car outside.
The occupier returned and, finding the car in his driveway and windows and a patio door open, went in and heard someone rummaging around. Thinking it may have been his son, he called out but when no-one answered and he could still hear someone in the house, he decided not to confront any intruder for fear of violence.
James quickly left the property and drove off without being seen and police were called. Tools that didn’t belong to the house owner were discovered inside the property. A rough search had also been conducted and James stole a passport and a mobile phone to the value of £375.
On June 8, 2022, police tried to stop his car in Leskinnick Street, Penzance, but as he tried to evade them he rammed the officers’ car and also rammed a member of the public’s car to such an extent that it was a write-off.
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Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police eventually Tasered and arrested James and while doing so found a knife on his person. He was returned to prison to complete his previous sentence and came out in 2024.
Ms Kuyken said the four offences – two for burglary, one for dangerous driving and one for possession of a knife which James later pleaded guilty to – had been committed while he had been out on licence. The court heard that James returned to his old lifestyle of homelessness and drugs and offended again as a way to fund his habit as soon as he was out.
Reading two victim impact statements, Ms Kuyken said James’ 92-year-old victim was now frightened to be alone in his home as he was scared other burglars would return. He said: “I have had a string of heart attacks and this incident has not helped my health.”
James’ other victim said: “I feel shocked that my home was violated in this way.”
The court was told that James is a serial offender with 41 convictions to his name for 167 offences, including eight convictions for burglary and another eight for dangerous driving.
Ms Kuyken said both burglaries in 2022 had involved an element of planning, James had gone equipped at the properties and both offences were committed while on licence. She said another aggravating factor was the age of one of his victims.
Ryan Murray, defending, said drugs had blighted James’ life for years and he fell back into a lifestyle of criminality when he was released from prison as he had nowhere to go and started taking drugs again which then led to more offending.
He told the court: “He has reached a point in his life where he has had enough of prison. It holds no mystery for him as he has spent most of his adult life there. He is an institutionalised young man but he wants to be rid of his drug habit. He has accommodation lined up and will be working with We Are With You.
“He has shown remorse, and a determination to address his drug habit. He has had a difficult background.”
His Honour Judge Simon Carr said there was no way James would receive a suspended sentence as he was past the three-strike rule for burglaries “by a considerable distance”.
Judge Carr said that while James had made some progress addressing his addiction and turning his life around, he had also gone back to offending as soon as he was out of prison last year, adding: “I fear it will happen again.”
James was sentenced to a total of five years and three months in prison for the four offences. He was also disqualified from driving for four and a half years, including two years when he is out of prison and he will need to take an extended driving test before reapplying for a licence.
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