November 16, 2017 11.47 am This story is over 88 months old

Heroin addict who smashed open mobile phone display cabinet with axe is jailed

He stole mobile phones worth over £2,000.
Lee Sentance has been jailed

A burglar who stole mobile phones worth over £2,000 after smashing his way in to a Grantham shop has been jailed for 20 months.

Lee Sentance, 39, used two house bricks to break the display window of Cashbrokers in Westgate, Lincoln Crown was told.

CCTV then showed Sentance entering the store and using an axe to smash the mobile phone display cabinet.

Lisa Hardy, prosecuting, told the court: “He had clearly taken the axe to the scene.”

The court heard Sentance fled with mobile phones valued at £2,345 and left behind both the axe and house bricks.

Police linked Sentance to the 4am buglary from his DNA after traces of his blood were found at the scene.

Sentance also admitted the theft of a purse containing £95 from the home of Amanda Jarvis in Grantham.

Miss Hardy said Sentance took the purse from Miss Jarvis’ handbag after entering her property while she was upstairs.

The court heard Sentance made no comment when he was interviewed about offences.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, mitigating, said Sentance had been on remand in custody since May.

Mr Cranmer-Brown told the court Sentance had got off drugs earlier this year but returned to taking heroin after a number of tragic deaths in his family.

“It was all too much for him,” Mr Cranmer-Brown added.

Sentance, of no fixed address, but formerly from Grantham, admitted two charges of burglary and theft between April 4 and May 4.

Passing sentence Judge John Pini QC told Sentance he was sure he had targeted the mobile phones as they were easy to sell.

The judge said: “The burglary at Cashbrokers is a particularly serious one.

“You smashed your way in and took mobile phones valued at £2,345 and caused an estimated loss to the owner of £1,800.

“He had to close the shop, but not withstanding your behaviour, he is determined to keep it open.”