He didn't learn his lesson and was filmed crawling around on the floor
A "prolific offender" burgled the same mosque twice within the space of a year. David Roberts was filmed crawling around the floor of the place of worship after apparently "forgetting" about the same CCTV cameras which had ensnared him previously.
His latest crime spree also saw him break into a food bank and a church before he was arrested in a priest's bath. These break-ins had apparently been undertaken in order to fund the £200-a-day drug habit which has "consumed his life". Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that Roberts, of Clapgate Crescent in Widnes, attended a mosque on Arpley Street in Warrington while worshippers were attending prayers.
There, the 43-year-old was caught on CCTV trying on pairs of shoes which members of the congregation had taken off while praying before stealing one man's jacket and a mobile phone which had been left inside the pocket.
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Zara Kayani, prosecuting, described how the defendant then struck at Widnes Foodbank at around 7pm on April 29, gaining entry by smashing a rear window and stealing food. The area around this window was left "covered in blood" as a result of the burglary.
Roberts would go on to target St Alban's Church in Bewsey, Warrington, the following day. A parishioner was said to have called police after being alerted to the burglary in progress by the alarm system being set off at around 8.30am.
Officers then attended and found the intruder in the bath of the priest's adjoining living quarters, with a quantity of cash which he had apparently taken from the property being found in a bin inside the bathroom where he had attempted to lock himself in. Having been arrested, Roberts then urinated in a holding cell at Cheshire Police's Runcorn Custody Suite.
His criminal record shows a total of 58 previous convictions for 104 offences. This includes a 26-week in June last year for a burglary at the same mosque, he and an accomplice having taken between £700 and £1,200 of cash from charity boxes during a break-in earlier that month.
Paul Wood, defending, told the court: "Matters are obviously going to be aggravated by his very poor record. Many of these offences are extremely old, but clearly not all."
Mr Wood added of Roberts' wife, who was present in the public gallery: "Her health is precarious. This has been a testing time for her, and it has for the defendant. While they have had a turbulent relationship, they have been married for four years and he loves his wife.
"He has a long standing drug problem. He instructs me, at its worst, it is £200 per day. When things go wrong and he has had an argument with his wife, he goes back to his old habits. Since he has been in custody, he instructs me that he is clean and that he feels better.
"It is a habit which has consumed his life for nine years. He is from a deprived and difficult background. He had a horrific childhood. He is a product, quite frankly, of his upbringing."
Roberts admitted three counts of burglary, criminal damage and failing to surrender to bail and asked for a further a further burglary, on Foregate Street in Chester, to be taken into consideration. Appearing in the dock wearing a short sleeved blue and red checked shirt, he was jailed for two years and two months on Thursday.
Sentencing, Recorder Louis Browne KC said: "You have a dreadful criminal record. Of these, 47 are for theft or kindred offences. You have mitigation, consisting of a troubled childhood and some mental health problems.
"Your wife has a serious medical condition. I bear that in mind. To describe you as a prolific offender would not be an understatement."
Roberts put his thumb up and waved to his partner, who told him "phone me, I love you", as he was being led to the cells. He replied: "I will do. I love you."
Cheshire Police's Sergeant Graham Robinson said following the hearing: "Having previously been convicted of a burglary at the same mosque in 2024, Roberts was well aware of the CCTV cameras that were in place at the premises. However, it appears that he thought that he could evade detection by crawling across the floor to steal the items, before making good his escape.
"Unfortunately, what he appears to have forgotten is that the cameras cover the whole room. After reviewing the footage, we were quickly able to identify him as the offender and he's now back behind bars where he belongs'
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