December 4, 2018 4.34 pm This story is over 76 months old

Sex offender jailed for robbing neighbour while dog sitting

He bought drugs on the dark web
Peter Buchanan has been jailed for over three years. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A convicted sex offender who burgled his neighbours’ home when was trusted to look after their dogs during their holiday has been jailed for over three years.

Peter Buchanan removed the safe from the property in Low Gate Road, Fleet Hargate, as well as stealing other items including bank cards, clothing, food and shoes.

Philip Plant, prosecuting at a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court, said the victims first learned of the burglary when their bank contacted them two days into their holiday after a suspicious withdrawal of £250 from their bank account.

A relative was sent to check on the property and discovered that the house had been burgled and the safe was missing.

Buchanan’s fingerprint was found at the scene. When officers arrested him at his home they carried out a search and discovered a stash of cannabis.

Later his computer was examined and police discovered that he had been accessing the dark web to buy drugs.

Plant said that Buchanan’s activities on his computer put him in breach of an earlier sexual harm prevention order which restricted his use of the internet.

Buchanan, 32, formerly of Low Gate Road, Fleet Hargate, but now living at Gilbert Road, Bircotes, near Worksop, admitted burglary of his neighbour’s home on September 26 this year and possession of cannabis. He was jailed for 876 days.

He also admitted breach of a sexual harm prevention order imposed for a previous offence of possession of indecent images.

He was re-sentenced for his original offence and given a 238 day consecutive jail sentence making a total jail term of 1,114 days.

Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him: “Plainly these offences are so serious that only a sentence of immediate custody can be imposed.”

Mark Watson, in mitigation, said Buchanan admitted his offences at the earliest opportunity.

He said that Buchanan had managed to stay out of trouble for some time but returned to crime following the breakdown of a relationship, as a result of which he began using drugs again.

“He is sorry for his victims. He has shown remorse,” said Mr Watson.