Wrexham: Public 'nuisance' jailed after trying car doors

Leader Live

a day ago

Michael Roberts, of no fixed abode, was produced in custody at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old admitted stealing coinage, interfering with a vehicle, damaging a police vehicle and possessing class C drugs; all of which took place in Wrexham on Tuesday this week.
Prosecutor Helen Sidhu told the court that in the early hours of the morning in question, a resident of St John's Road looked out of his window to see a man sitting in his car and another person outside it.
He shouted at the men and asked what they were doing.
One of them, the defendant, told the resident: "I've been kicked out. I'm looking for somewhere to sleep. I haven't taken anything."
The police were called but the defendant had left the scene.
When the vehicle was checked, its contents were 'all over the place' and money that was usually kept in the centre console - some £10 to £15 in coinage and notes - was missing.
At around 8am the same day, the man's neighbour awoke to find numerous notifications on his Ring doorbell app.
He checked the footage and saw two men walking around his own vehicle, as well as the incident above in which the men gained entry to his neighbour's car.
Finally, at around 8.20am, a third resident left her home to take her child to school by car.
But when she got in the vehicle, she noticed things were not as she'd left them.
The carpet which was usually on the floor had been left on the dashboard, the headlights were in the on position, the passenger seat was left all the way back and coins which were normally left in a pot - amounting to around £6 - was missing.
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A very short time later, two men matching the description supplied to the police were stopped by officers on a nearby footpath.
One of them, the defendant, was found to have a large number of coins and a class C drug, zopiclone, in his possession.
He was arrested and taken to Llay custody facility on blue lights.
On the way there, he was "actively aggressive" in the police vehicle and spat in the cell, as well as headbutting the window.
Ms Sidhu told the court Roberts had 105 previous convictions for 228 offences.
He was last in court in April this year for burglary and theft, for which he received a seven week jail term.
During Tuesday's offences, he was on licence for that sentence - and has since been recalled.
Andy Holliday, defending, told the court: "It's accepted he was heavily intoxicated, walking down St John's Street and trying vehicle doors; that's the extent of the planning.
"No damage was caused when gaining entry and the items taken were loose change.
"In all circumstances, you'd normally factor these matters into a financial penalty.
"But clearly he has committed these offences whilst subject to licence and because of his recall, I ask you to keep the custodial sentence to the minimum you feel you can impose."
Michael Roberts (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police) Ronald Keating, Chair of the Magistrates, told the defendant: "The consequence of your actions is that basically, you're a nuisance to people and their lives.
"People deserve to sleep securely with the thought that all of their property is safe.
"But then people like you come along and disrupt everything.
"We're really not happy to have to deal with this continuing failure on your part to understand your role in society.
"You can't carry on like this; you're wilfully working against what you know is right.
"You're not being a good citizen."
The court handed down a four week custodial sentence on each of the offences to run concurrent to one another - but consecutive to the defendant's time on recall.
Roberts must also pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 costs.