Burglar raided Leeds Airbnb flat to steal passport leaving Australian tourist stranded

A burglar who left an Australian tourist stranded in Leeds without a passport and cash has been locked up for almost five years.
Michael DohertyMichael Doherty
Michael Doherty

Michael Doherty was jailed for four years and a half years over sneak-in raids at a Leeds city centre apartment.

Justin Berry was staying at an Airbnb flat on the Headrow when the property was targeted by Doherty.

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-> Armed police arrest five teenagers in Harehills on suspicion of carrying offensive weaponsDoherty stole Mr Berry's passport, a Macbook computer, 700 Australian dollars and his mobile phone as he lay sleep.

Michael DohertyMichael Doherty
Michael Doherty

Mr Berry awoke in the early hours of November 5 last year to discover his belongings missing from his side.

Mr Berry had another Macbook which Doherty did not manage to steal.

Software Mr Berry used it to activate the 'find my iPhone' app.

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The app showed that Mr Berry's other Macbook was at a property on Manor Farm Grove, in Belle Isle, Leeds at a house next door to where Doherty's mother lives.

Police were contacted and Doherty was recognised from CCTV footage of him entering the apartment complex at Victoria House.

The court heard Doherty had also carried out a burglary at the same premises two months earlier and stole ten pairs of trainers.

-> Violent Leeds thug attacked girlfriends with drill and burning oilDoherty pleaded guilty to two offences of burglary, but denied entering the apartment where Mr Berry was sleeping and deliberately stealing his property.

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A hearing was held at Leeds Crown Court last month to determine the facts of the offence.

Mr Berry, who has now returned to Australia, gave evidence via a videolink from a court room in his home city of Melbourne.

He described how he was left without any money or a passport and had to travel to London to get documentation to allow him to return to Australia.

He said: "It meant basically that I was stuck in a foreign country without any forms of identification or money or contacts for a period of time, so it was quite scary.

"But also extremely inconvenient."

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Doherty gave evidence and told the court he was homeless at the time and had entered the apartment complex to get dry as it was raining heavily.

The 33-year-old claimed he had taken a rucksack from a corridor but did not know any valuables were inside it.

He said he left the rucksack in the street outside the property without taking anything from the bag.

Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, asked Doherty: "Why did you take it?"

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The defendant replied: "I don't know to be honest with you, judge."

Prosecutor Dave Mackay asked Doherty: "Do you have any explanation at all as to why the computer was next door to your house a couple of days later?"

Doherty replied: "No,"

Judge Bayliss rejected Doherty's account. He said: "The only common sense conclusion is that the only reason to take the rucksack is to use it to take away the loot, and that's what we see him doing.

"My assessment is that there was significant planning."

The case was adjourned to allow for mental health reports.

Jailing Doherty today, judge Tom Bayliss, Qc, said: “The fact that it was committed in the dead of night makes it an aggravating factor.”

Doherty has 11 pervious convictions, including one for burglary.

Stephen Holland, mitigating, said Doherty, a trained chef, was sorry for what he had done,