Gainsborough: Pair of robbers have been jailed after being caught out on CCTV

CCTV operators alerted police after they saw two men acting suspiciously in an alleyway behind Linden Terrace.

Lincoln Crown Court was told Liam Fountain, 27, could be seen passing property over a garden wall to Adam Clifton, 25, who was stood in the alley.

The court heard Clifton was then seen going in to the back garden of his house which was just two doors away.

Police were deployed and caught both men “red handed.” Property stolen from the house was found in a pink suitcase in Clifton’s back garden. It included a television, two DVD players, a speaker, model car, set of knives and CDs.

Fountain was searched and found to be in possession of a screwdriver and plastic beading from the bathroom window where entry had been gained to the property.

The occupier of the house, Hayley Weaver, was not in at the time of the burglary and all the stolen property was recovered.

David Eager, mitigating, said Clifton’s best mitigation was his guilty plea. The court heard Clifton had numerous previous convictions for burglary and carried out the offence while in breach of a suspended sentence imposed at Nottingham Crown Court.

Mr Eager said: “This offence was 12 months after that sentence so he has complied for a while. He wants the court to know at no point did he enter the property. He stood at the other side of the gate.”

Chris Milligan, mitigating for Fountain, told the court he had no previous convictions for burglary.

Mr Milligan said: “This was a bungled attempt to get back some property which he thought belonged to him and took some extra items.

“He was friends with Clifton when they were 14 and had not seen him but the day before the burglary he met Clifton and they began drinking.”

Fountain, of Clinton Terrace, Gainsborough, and Clifton, of Linden Terrace, Gainsborough, both admitted the burglary which happened on July 5.

Clifton was jailed for 28 months and 24 days. Fountain was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

Passing sentence Recorder Tim Spencer QC told them: “This was a mean and dishonest burglary. All house burglaries are mean and dishonest.

“I suspect you had both been drinking. It has all the hallmarks of gross ineptitude.”