A senior judge today (Mon) blasted a magistrate’s
A senior judge today (Mon) blasted a magistrate’s decision to bail a ‘professional burglar’ so he could go and break into another victim’s home.
Jailing David Brewster, 51, for nine years, Judge Gerald Butler, QC, said it was ‘scandalous’ he had been freed by Ms Lorraine Morgan, a Stipendiary Magistrate at Bow Street.
Southwark Crown Court heard Brewster had some five pages crammed full of previous convictions for domestic burglaries dating back to his teens.
Passing sentence Judge Butler told the defendant, now a granddad, it was time to give the public a long rest from his activities.
Brewster was brought before the court today after police officers executed an arrest warrant, following his failure to attend a recent court hearing.
On November 22 last year the magistrate had allowed him bail, apparently so he could try and retrieve valuable watches he had thieved in the first place.
The judge was told that in the last fortnight Brewster carried out yet another burglary from the home of an elderly woman.
‘I regard it as truly scandalous that you were ever granted bail in the first place,’ Judge Butler told him.
Today Brewster, of Drummond Road, Romford, Essex, admitted three charges of burglary prior to that recent matter.
Prosecutor Miss Sarah Clover said on April 11 last year Brewster was caught on a security video breaking into an address in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair – but left empty-handed on that occasion.
On April 25 he gained entry to another Mayfair address and grabbed a pnds stlg 500 video recorder.
On July 12 Brewster broke into another home in nearby Chesterfield Gardens and pocketed three gold watches, worth pnds stlg 7,000 in total.
He was arrested nearly three weeks later and was bailed on November 22 by Ms Morgan.
Passing sentence Judge Butler told Brewster: ‘Your record shows you to be nothing but a professional burglar of the most serious kind, in that your
burglaries are of peoples homes.
‘I miss out your first four pages (of your criminal record) but go to the fifth page.
‘
The judge said in 1979, at the Old Bailey, Brewster, was locked up for ten years for a number of burglaries.
In 1985 he was sentenced to six years jail and in 1991 caged for three years at Middlesex Crown Court for another series of break-ins.
In 1995 Brewster was imprisoned for a two years following another burglary spree.
‘The pattern is really rather extraordinary in that instead of the sentences increasing they steadily decrease.
‘The sentence is now going to increase,’ added the judge drily.
‘I have concluded it is time the public had a long rest from your actions.
‘
The defendant appeared stunned as he was led away from the dock with a nine year jail term ringing in his ears.
‘For those offences you were granted bail by the magistrates’ court,’ continued Judge Butler.
‘I regard that granting of bail as scandalous.
‘Indeed my worst fears were realised when I have heard you have been charged with a further offence of burglary, committed while you were on bail.
‘
The Crown indicated that they would probably not be proceeding with the most recent burglary matter, carried out while on bail, in the light of the
length of today’s sentence.
ends
