Man stole pensioner’s lawnmower while drunk

A drunken man stole his 72-year-old neighbour’s lawnmower after a row with his girlfriend.
Lancaster Magistrates Court.Lancaster Magistrates Court.
Lancaster Magistrates Court.

Jack Kenneth Musgrave told Lancaster Magistrates’ Court he had no idea why he’d burgled the pensioner’s shed and taken the lawnmower, which he then discarded in a bush.

Musgrave, 22, had been drinking lager, cider and Jack Daniel’s whisky all day with a friend prior to the theft.

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The court heard that he arrived home in a drunken and argumentative state on August 16 and began banging on the door, shouting and swearing, and telling his girlfriend to open up.

She told Musgrave she didn’t want him in the house in that state while the children were there.

She eventually let him in and he barged past her. He then picked up their baby’s bowl, threw it, then sprayed a beer can over the kitchen before leaving.

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said Musgrave then intended to go to his father’s house but instead went down the road to his neighbour’s home and burgled her garage.

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He took the lawmower and several ornaments to the value of £155.

A witness saw Musgrave and a companion, and reported the theft to police. They quickly located Musgrave and arrested him after a short chase. The stolen items were recovered.

Mr Nightingale called Musgrave’s actions “an act of stupidity” and said they were “out of character”.

He said the defendant had no idea why he had taken the lawnmower and the ornaments, was sorry for his actions and admitted they were stupid.

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Musgrave, of Bowland Road, Heysham, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to criminal damage of the baby’s dish, and burglary. He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with supervision, including 40 hours of unpaid work.

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