Teenage Castleford burglar told to mend his ways or face 'bleak' life in prison
A teenage burglar who tried to break into multiple homes and sheds has been warned he faces a life behind bars unless he changes.
Morgan Rollinson admitted a raft of offences at Leeds Crown Court, but was given a chance to prove himself mainly due to his young age.
The 18-year-old appeared in court from HMP Doncaster, where he was being held on remand.
He admitted two counts of burglary of a non-dwelling, three of burglary other than a dwelling, a dwelling burglary, theft of car, theft of a pedal cycle, going equipped, criminal damage and possession of ketamine.
He stole the £400 bicycle after using bolt croppers to break its lock while it was parked outside Wakefield College in January of this year.
Later that month he was caught breaking into a garage in the University Street area of Castleford, prosecutor Joel Wootten said.
On February 5 he broke into two shed in Castleford using bolt croppers, but nothing was stolen. He was arrested again and snapped a GPS tag from his ankle at the police station.
In May, he targeted homes in Castleford again in the early hours of the morning, entering a shed on one street and then tried to enter a property on Ramsden Street through a back door.
He then broke into a shed on Crowther Place days later, although nothing was stolen.
On May 25, a home on Willowbridge Close was targeted, with Rollinson entering through a patio door and stealing the keys to a car outside, then the car.
Rollinson, of Curlew Close, Castleford, has three previous convictions for eight offences.
No mitigation was offered by his barrister after Judge Robin Mairs said he would give him a chance.
He told Rollinson: “There appears to be some hope and some recognition by you that if you continue to offend then the future will be bleak
“It will be a future of meeting people like me giving you longer and longer sentences.”
He gave him 24 months’ jail, suspended for 24 months, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days with probation.