Snoozing Sunderland burglar caught fast asleep behind wheel of victim's car

Sleeping Kirk Scott was still wearing his burglar's head torch and plastic gloves when a shocked householder found him in the Citroen Picasso which was parked outside his home in Sunderland on October 2.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the homeowner had been alerted by a neighbour in the early morning that belongings from his garage, which had been broken into, had been put on his garden wall and in the basket of a bike parked in the street.

When the victim checked his vehicle and discovered the 35-year-old stranger asleep inside, he wedged the driver's door to keep him locked there until the police arrived.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court: "The householder made his way to the location in which his car was parked and inside of the car he found this defendant, slumped against the driver's seat, with his head against the window.

"He said he appeared to be 'out of it' on drugs or something.

"Concerned that he would wake and try to get out, the complainant had the presence of mind to wedge the door shut from the outside before calling the police.

"They attended 15 minutes or so later and found the defendant, still in situ, wearing rubber gloves and a head torch on his head."

The court heard when Scott was woken up and searched, officers, who took camera footage of the bizarre sight they were confronted with, found property from the garage stuffed inside his pockets, along with a second torch, a balaclava and some amphetamine.

The bike containing property from the break-in belonged to Scott.

In a victim statement, the householder said he had recently lost his wife and the family had been through a very difficult time.

He added; "Just when you think things can't get any worse this happens.

"These people don't care. He was just sat in my car.

"These people never stop and the sooner we deal with people like this, the better."

Scott, of Smith Street, Ryhope, Sunderland, admitted burglary of the garage and possessing amphetamine.

He admitted involvement in the burglary on the basis that another, unidentified, raider had been responsible for damage done when the garage was raided.

Mr recorder William Lowe QC sentenced Scott, who spent a month in custody on remand, to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with rehabilitation requirements and a six-month evening curfew.

Neil Jones, defending, said Scott, who has 124 previous convictions, has taken positive steps to address his drugs problem and wishes to publicly apologise to the victim.

Mr Jones said Scott was "spaced out" when he was found in the vehicle, which he thought had belonged to his accomplice.

He added: "He was literally still wearing the tools for burglary, literally still wearing a head torch and rubber gloves, sitting in the Picasso.

"It is slightly odd circumstances when everyone finds one of the perpetrators slumped in the Citroen."