Burglar who left a Shropshire mother terrified is jailed
A burglar who broke into a house in the middle of the night, leaving the mother of a young child terrified, has been jailed for two years.
Christopher Price had been drinking heavily on April 23 and was on the way to his home in Woolston Bank in Maesbury, near Oswestry, when he broke into a car and a house.
Price initially stole a sports bag from a parked Peugeot in Oswestry before heading towards an address where the woman was at home with her two-year-old daughter.
Robert Edwards, prosecuting at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday, said the victim had been on her own because her husband was away working.
Mr Edwards said she woke at 3.30am and could hear someone outside, but fell back asleep.
She then woke up again at 5am to the sound of footsteps in the kitchen.
She thought this might have been her husband coming back from work, but as the steps came up the stairs she realised it was not him.
Mr Edwards said: "It was a traumatic experience. She hid under the bed covers as she heard footsteps up to the bedroom door. The door opened and someone came into the room leaving her terrified for her own safety and that of her child."
The woman dialled 999 into her phone but knew if she completed the call it would make a tone which may have alerted Price.
After a short time she heard the footsteps leave and the family's Honda Civic being driven away. She called the police instantly.
Price was found the next morning by police driving the car for which he had no licence or insurance. He also had the sports bag and an Easter egg and bottle of wine he had stolen from the fridge of the house.
Price, 38, refused to answer police questions but did admit the burglary at court.
Ian Durant, mitigating, said Price had been a drug addict but had instead turned to alcohol.
Judge Robin Onions sentenced Price to two years imprisonment, as well as an extra four months for breaking a conditional discharge.
