Burglar faces jail after blood found on airbag of a stolen car

David Hawkes crept into a house on Howarth Street in Sunderland, while the occupants were asleep upstairs.

After taking the keys of their Nissan Micra, which was parked outside, Hawkes drove off before crashing the car a mile away on Tudor Grove where he continued on foot.

The force of the crash resulted in the air bag to inflate and forensic experts were called in when officers discovered the abandoned car.

The Scientific Support Unit at Northumbria Police soon found a tiny drop of blood, which matched the DNA of Hawkes, 38.

Initially Hawkes, of Havelock Court, Sunderland, denied the burglary and insisted that he was only a passenger in the vehicle but on Thursday, September 10 he admitted to the crime at Newcastle Crown Court.

He will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, November 6 and will remain in police custody until then.

The incident happened on Tuesday, January 7.

Detective Constable Neil Swainston, of Northumbria Police has praised the efforts of the forensic experts and welcomed the news that Hawkes will be given a custodial sentence.

He said: “David Hawkes is a prolific criminal who has been a drain on our resources for some time. He has been a thorn in the side of families across Sunderland as a result of his selfish and frequent offending.

“On the morning in question, he snuck into a family home and swiped the keys to a car parked outside.

“Before the victim had even realised what had happened, police received a call from a member of the public saying a Nissan had crashed into a lamppost – but the driver had already made off from the scene.

“That allowed our fantastic forensic experts to do what they do best. This case once again highlights how the tiniest drop of blood, saliva, sweat or other bodily fluid can be detected and used to prove somebody’s guilt.

“Families across Sunderland can now sleep easier knowing Hawkes has been taken off the streets, and he has been remanded in custody until he is sentenced later this year.”

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