Tenbury man blows job interview chances after burgling house (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Tenbury man blows job interview chances after burgling house

12:35pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News By Courts reporter

A YOUNG Tenbury man missed a job interview after burgling a house, a court heard.

Shane Oldham, aged 20, had only just moved from his Scotland Place home to live with his granddad in Hereford to look for employment when he illegally entered the house.

Hereford Crown Court heard how he smashed a window on the city’s College Estate just before 3am on November 25 while returning from a pub and stole a bike worth £1,000 and an XBox before walking into the occupants’ bedroom.

Prosecutor Peter Grice said Oldham claimed he entered the house through the front door which he said was open, despite officers pointing out he had cuts to his hand.

The items were all recovered.

Oldham admitted a charge of burglary.

John Dyer, for the defendant, said his client had only been staying with his grandfather for four or five days after moving to Hereford from his family home in Tenbury Wells to search for work.

He was due to be interviewed for a job at Cargill Meats Europe but could not go near the factory because of bail conditions imposed after the burglary.

Mr Dyer said the offence was “completely out of character”.

“He is mortified by this.

He told an officer at the scene; ‘I know what I did was wrong’.”

Judge Michael Cullum called it a “deplorable burglary”

and handed Oldham, now 21, a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He will also carry out 250 hours’ unpaid work.