Father-to-be burglar targeted Bath school

A father-to-be stole £4,000 worth of music gear from a school after he found out his partner was pregnant, a court heard.

Samuel Robinson panicked when he found they were expecting and carried out the raid on Ralph Allen School in Claverton Down, Bath.

Bristol Crown Court was told he caused £3,000 worth of damage to a window in the process but was caught after police established his DNA from blood left at the scene.

Robinson, 24, formerly of Ashley Hill but now of Church Road, Bristol, pleaded guilty to burglary on December 5.

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The recorder Mr Ignatius Hughes told him: “You have a bad record, including burglary ,and you know that burglary, either residential or non-residential, is serious. I don’t accept that this was motivated by the desire to provide for a child due in June, when you committed the burglary in December.”

The recorder handed Robinson a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.

Robinson was given an 18-month supervision order, told to attend a thinking skills programme and will have to observe a four-month curfew, in which he must stay at home on electronic tag from 9pm to 6am.

Neil Treharne, prosecuting, said Robinson broke into the school’s music room and grabbed Apple computer equipment as well as musical instruments.

He said: “They were able to find that the defendant was responsible for this. Blood DNA was left at the scene and Mr Robinson was arrested and interviewed and fully admitted the offence.”

The court heard Robinson had several previous convictions for breaking into homes or commercial premises.

Giles Nelson, defending, said his client was released from a 16-week jail term in August last year and was trying to lead a decent life.

He said that when he realised his partner was pregnant, he panicked.

Mr Nelson told the court: “He broke into the school to get equipment which he sold for a few hundred pounds. He thought there was no way he was going to be able to provide for the child and he felt the need to steal.

“He realised that was a ridiculous thing to do. As soon as he was stopped by the police, he admitted it.”

Ralph Allen School is a non-denominational, co-educational school for 11 to 18 year olds.

The school was built and named in 1957 to commemorate entrepreneur and philanthropist Ralph Allen. It opened in 1958.