Bereaved family return home to find blood belonging to a burglar in their Leamington house

A persistent burglar who broke into a Leamington house after being freed on licence from a prison sentence for burglaries is back behind bars once again.

Michael Atkins was recognised from a nearby CCTV camera, and at Warwick Crown Court he pleaded guilty to the burglary and two charges of common assault on police officers.

Atkins (40) who is from Leamington but of no fixed address, was jailed for two years and five months for the burglary – with a consecutive one-month sentence for the assaults.

Prosecutor Simon Burch said that in October last year a woman who had recently suffered a bereavement was being visited by family members from Beirut who were recovering from the ordeal of a massive explosion at the city’s port.

On October 24 they went out for a while, and when they returned to her home in Leamington, the first thing she noticed was a red spot on the floor.

There was broken glass in the living room, and she realised the red spot was an intruder’s blood.

He had taken jewellery and cash, as well as her daughter’s bank card, but she was able to cancel it before it was used.

Her husband’s laptop and i-Pad had been moved ready to take, and were smeared in blood, but had been left behind by Atkins when he escaped.

But he was recognised from a CCTV camera, and was taken to Leamington police station after being arrested.

Atkins was agitated and disruptive, refusing to take part in a formal interview, so police officers Mathew Collins and Rachel Creswell went to speak to him in his cell.

He threatened to throw water over them, and when he kicked a cup of water towards Pc Creswell he was advised that his actions could constitute an assault.

They managed to calm him down, and he sat on his bed, but then became agitated again and stood up with his fist clenched.

Pc Collins stood up to defend himself, and pushed Atkins away, but Atkins pushed him back and threw another cup of water which struck Pc Creswell on her shoulder.

Mr Burch added that Atkins had convictions for 55 previous offences, including 14 domestic burglaries.

And at the time he was on licence from a three year nine month sentence imposed in September 2018 for house burglaries which were themselves committed while he was on licence from an earlier sentence.

Atkins, who had no legal representation, said: “Since I’ve been inside for three months I’ve had time to reflect on the offences.

“I shouldn’t have done it. It’s my drug problem. I need to nip it in the bud. My mum passed away 12 months ago. I thought I dealt with that in prison, but I didn’t.”

He said that because of the coronavirus pandemic there were limited things he could do about it in prison, but he was seeing a drug counsellor each week and was on a prescription of the heroin substitute Subutex.

Sentencing Atkins, Judge Anthony Potter, who had also sentenced him in 2018, told him: “I deal with you today for a single offence, but it is once again a case where you had been released on licence.

“This family had suffered a death recently, and they also had family visiting from Lebanon who had themselves suffered a traumatic episode.

“So they had enough to deal with without you, while they were in the park, picking up something from the garden and smashing your way into their home.

“You have done this again and again to families.”