Telford window cleaner, 21, owns up to burglary

A window cleaner from Telford has been given a suspended jail sentence for burgling the home of one of his customers.

Peter James Winstanley, 21, from Overdale, Ketley, had denied the offence, which happened near Wrexham. The cleaner had been due to stand trial at crown court – but he then went to see the victims at their home and made a tearful face-to-face confession.

Winstanley, who recently moved to Telford from Malpas, admitted stealing a camera, a laptop computer and jewellery.

Mold Crown Court heard yesterday that he gave the property 'a proper ransacking', and went rooting through the victims' clothes in the wardrobe.

Judge Niclas Parry said that Winstanley aggravated the matter by a 'further despicable act' of ripping up a personal photograph.

The court was told that a photograph of the couple, Paul and Heather Staniland, had been ripped down the middle to separate them.

Judge Parry said that the offence crossed the custody threshold but Winstanley had admitted burglary, was only 21, had not been in trouble before, had led a hard working life and had taken on responsibilities far beyond his years.

The judge said that Winstanley deserved a second chance and he was given a 24-week jail sentence suspended for a year. He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work, pay £500 compensation and £500 costs.

Judge Parry imposed a restraining order not to contact the victims or enter Church Road, in Worthenbury, where their home is.

The court heard how Winstanley had originally denied the offence, which occurred in September 2010, and had entered a not guilty plea.

Winstanley changed his plea yesterday.

Mr Owen Edwards, for Winstanley, said that the window cleaner 'felt so much relief' after owning up to what he had done.

He added that Winstanley had moved to a new area, had a job and he and his wife were trying for a baby.