Trainee chef stole wedding rings after breaking into Sunderland flat, court told

David Wright, 40, reached inside the rented property in The Cloisters, Ashbrooke, and swiped the treasured keepsakes, valued in total at £3,000.

But the trainee chef, of Southwick Road, Southwick, Sunderland, left behind a trail of blood from which investigators linked him to the crime.

He struck on Wednesday, August 17, when the occupants were away on holiday, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.

Wright, who was homeless after being released from a 10-year prison term, denied being responsible for the theft but claimed he had broken in and slept on the settee.

He was found guilty at trial but maintains his innocence, his defence solicitor informed magistrates in South Tyneside.

They told Wright his burglary offence was too serious for their sentencing powers – and sent him to be dealt with by the higher Newcastle Crown Court.

Mrs Beck said: “The victim resides in a basement flat while his home is being renovated.

“At 5pm on August 11 they left the flat locked and secured to go on a family trip. A colleague saw glass from a window on the ground on the afternoon of August 15.

“The occupant returned and found that there was blood inside. A crime scene examiner conducted an examination.

“Damage was caused to the window of £250. The engagement ring and wedding ring were left on a table next to the window.

“The occupants said they had left the rings on a desk next to the window by mistake. The hole in the window was not large enough for anybody to climb through.

“It was only big enough for someone to have broken the window and reached through.

“He said that he had slept on the sofa but the victim said no-one had slept on it. The defendant said he had come in through the hole and left via a bathroom window.

“The items were of sentimental value and couldn’t be insured because the family was between homes.”

Wright was found guilty of a single charge of dwelling burglary and theft without violence.

The court heard he was last before a court in 2017 when he was jailed for a decade for two assaults.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said: “Mr Wright maintains that he didn’t steal the rings. I can’t mitigate, because he maintains that position.

“The positive factors as far as Mr Wright is concerned is that the offence was nine months ago, and he is not heavily convicted for dishonesty.

“When this happened, he had just been released on licence from prison. He was struggling with being released.

“He has started back in the employment he had prior to sentence. His employer is supportive. To send him back to prison would be incredibly detrimental to him.”

Wright was granted unconditional bail to be sentenced at the crown court on Tuesday, June 6.