A man who burgled a health centre less than two w

A man who burgled a health centre less than two weeks after being
allowed his freedom was branded a ‘bail bandit’ by an Old Bailey
judge.

Gary Osborne, 21, broke in after being told by the judge he might
be treated leniently if he could pay compensation money to his
previous burglary victim.

Judge Michael Coombe had been told he had a job lined up
if he was granted bail.

But instead Osborne was caught red-handed by security staff
stealing computer equipment in the dead of night.

Judge Coombe cited widespread press coverage of ‘bail bandits’ in
explaining to Osborne why he had blown any chance of retaining his
liberty.

‘The great trouble is so many young men like you commit further
offences on bail.

‘You knew perfectly well when I granted bail that you had a hope of
avoiding immediate imprisonment.

‘I cannot conceivably do that now and it is entirely your fault.

‘
The court was told Osborne and his pal Atique Qureshi, 21, had
broken into the Percy Ingles bakery in Church Road, Leyton, in the
early hours of September 15 last year.

They used a shotgun they were carrying to blast the burglar alarm
and then the tried to shoot their way into the safe.

But the police had been alerted by the alarm before it was put out
of commission and caught the pair red handed.

At the Old Bailey on January 31, Osborne and Qureshi both admitted
burglary and possession of a firearm.

Both of no fixed address in the Leyton area, they claimed they
had resorted to crime to get the deposit on a flat rental.

A charge of aggravated burglary was not proceeded with because the
shotgun had not been taken as a weapon of offence.

Qureshi, who had a string of previous offences, was sentenced to
two years and nine months custody.

Osborne, who said he was the lookout for his more experienced
accomplice, had been granted bail after sentence on him was adjourned.

Judge Coombe told him that earning money to pay off some of the
pnds stlng 1,280 damage he and Qureshi had caused would be looked on
favourably by the court.

But then on February 11 Osborne was caught stealing computer
equipment by security guards inside the Langthorne Health Centre,
Langthorne Road, Leytonstone.

The following day he admitted burglary at the magistrates court and
was fined pnds stlng 30 and ordered to pay pnds stlng 100
compensation.

Today the judge said Osborne had done himself a ‘massive
disservice.

‘
‘He cannot possibly have thought that a way of raising compensation
was doing another crime.

‘
Turning to the defendant, he added: ‘There has recently been a
good deal of publicity of what has been described as bail bandits.

‘The courts bend over backwards to grant bail if they can because,
after all, he is entitled to bail until he is proved guilty of crime
unless there are cogent reasons to the contrary.

‘The great trouble is so many young men like you commit further
offences on bail.

‘
He said the bail bandits phenomenon was ‘appalling.

‘
Osborne did not react as he was jailed for 18 months for the bakery
burglary.

ENDS