Derelict former care home containing cannabis growths burgled by men described as ‘children in a sweet shop’

Karolis Nasibuis, Benjamin Sari and Shakur Lawrence had pleaded guilty to burglary after being caught by police breaking into the former Burley House nursing home in Burley Road, in the early hours of May 27.

A sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court heard police saw “various men” climbing out of the property at around 3am, with Nasibuis, 23, of Hoibill Wharf, Surbiton, hiding in the garden’s bushes, smelling “strongly of cannabis”. Sari, 25, of Mount Road, Chessington, tried to walk away but was also caught by police.

Officers found two knives, an axe and a crowbar in the garden. On entering the property, they found 15 separate rooms had cannabis growths.

Mitigating for Sari, Cristopher Dunn told the court: “It’s a bit like children going into a sweet shop when there is no owner, taking all the sweets and not thinking about getting stomach ache later on.

"It was one of those things that was too much of a temptation to resist.”

Nasibuis and Sari had pleaded guilty to burglary.

Lawrence was also due to go before the court, but the date of his sentencing was moved due to his barrister’s availability. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Sentencing Nasibuis and Sari, Judge Neil Clark said: “You came from far away – the real reason for this lies in that.

"You went as a group. Weapons were taken to the scene - there was really nothing stolen.”

The two were each sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment.