Two burglars plead guilty to charges of breaking into Sunderland estate agent
Two burglars have appeared in separate courts on the same day to admit their parts in a raid on a Sunderland estate agency.
Stuart Wylde, 42, and Gary Drinkald, 48, broke into Spire Property Group’s branch in city centre Stockton Road on Saturday, August 9.
Wylde, of Hudson Avenue, Horden, Co Durham, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary in a hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Co-accused Drinkald, of Bexley Street, Millfield, admitted the same charge at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court in Northumberland, also on Monday, August 11.
At the South Tyneside court, prosecutor Paul Anderson said: “I don’t quite know why one defendant, who is the co-accused, was taken to Bedlington.
“We do know that the co-accused has accepted his guilt, and his case has been adjourned for reports. It might be best to marry both defendants together.
“It’s fair to say that the co-accused is more heavily convicted than this defendant, but he is no angel.
“This defendant’s last conviction was in May 2024, when he was travelling without tickets. He got a financial penalty for that.
“Prior to that, he was given a suspended term for assault, which has now expired. His last dishonesty was in 2014.”
Addressing magistrates, Angus Westgarth, defending Wylde, said: “He’s not subject to any court conditions.
“You may think it a good idea to give him conditional bail, and a condition could be not to go to Spire estate agents and not out past the hours of darkness.”
Magistrates granted Wylde bail on condition he lives at his home address and abides by a 9pm to 7am electronically monitored curfew.
He also must not contact prosecution witnesses or go to the Spire branch. Magistrates did not order a pre-sentence report.
Drinkald was also granted bail but with conditions not revealed to the South Tyneside court.
Both defendants will be sentenced at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 25.