Bungling burglar jailed again just weeks after previous Sunderland offence

Michael Lee Hazard was only locked up for 12 weeks in early July after he admitted raiding the Toby Carvery at The Barnes, in Durham Road, Sunderland, and stealing £1,000 worth of booze and electrical equipment.

Now he has been jailed again for an identical period after he pleaded guilty to attempting to burgle the Trespass outdoor clothing and footwear store, in the city centre’s High Street West, on August 4 and to unlawfully carrying a screwdriver in a public place on the same date.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court decided to lock him up because “the offence was aggravated by the defendant’s previous record of offending”.

He was jailed for 12 weeks for the attempted break in and and received a four-week concurrent sentence for the unlawful weapon charge.

Hazard, 38, of no fixed address, must also pay £100 compensation and a £218 victim surcharge at a rate of £20 a month from the middle of October.

He had been jailed for 12 weeks last month by the same court after he admitted breaking into the The Barnes on July 1.

With the pub and restaurant still to reopen following the coronavirus lockdown, the court took into account the “financial hardship” the raid had caused the business.

Hazard was also ordered to pay £500 compensation at a rate of £20 a month from the end of October for this earlier offence.

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