Meanwood: Brazen burglar mum caught prowling inside private Leeds flats above Myrtle Tavern and Three Cottages
A brazen burglar was caught inside two different private flats above pubs in Leeds - just days after stealing more than £1,000 from a hotel safe.
Mum-of-three Sarka Bamdyova snuck into the living quarters of the Meanwood establishments before rifling through belongings in back‑to‑back break‑ins.
The 36-year-old, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for the burglaries and wept as she appeared via video link from HMP New Hall.
Prosecuting, Robert Galley explained that on the evening of May 3, a resident at the Myrtle Tavern pub discovered Bamdyova inside the private living quarters. He said: “She was confronted by the complainant - and the defendant insisted she was looking for a toilet.”
Then on June 4, she was found in the flat above the Three Cottages Cafe, “rummaging through coat pockets”. Again, she told the victim she thought the flat was part of the venue.
“The complainant tried to give chase and the defendant was later found hiding and cowering in the car park of supermarket,” said Mr Galley. “She claimed in an interview she went the wrong way and found herself in those flats and was not rummaging in people’s possessions.”
The court heard that just over a week earlier, on April 25, Bamdyova had stolen £1,200 from a safe at the Golden Lion Hotel in Settle after being caught on CCTV searching the office.
Defending, Anastasis Tasou said: “This is a defendant who has made stealing a job. She has been in the UK for 22 years and has been trying to gain settled status as far as immigration is concerned.
“For the vast majority of that time, she has not been entitled to any kind of state benefits, which goes some way towards explaining the numerous offences of shop thefts.
“She has been stealing in the main to support her children. She tells me that most of the time she has been reliant on food banks and clothing banks. On top of that, she struggles with an amphetamine addiction, so part of her stealing was to support her own drug issues.”
It was explained that Bamdyova had travelled to Settle despite living in Leeds because she owed a drug dealer more than £400. The court heard she was taken to an area where she was not known and given instructions to steal.
Mr Tasou added: “She is utterly heartbroken about being away from her children and is determined to remain drug free.”
But Judge Ray Singh concluded the repeated offending was “nothing to do with feeding your children - it’s greed”.
He said: “You came to this country intending to seek settled status many years ago - but you have done nothing to achieve that. Since you have been a youth, you have committed criminal offences every year, or thereabouts.
“Throughout that period, the courts have given you every opportunity to change your life - but you have not taken that on board and you continue to offend.”
Bamdyova, who has 22 previous convictions for 31 offences, was jailed for three years. She must serve half of that time in custody before she can be released on licence.