Jay Larkman (Image: South Wales Police)
Last Updated: 33 seconds ago
A burglar who broke into his neighbour’s home after discovering the occupant had been arrested following a paedophile hunter sting has been jailed for more than two years.
Jay Larkman, 29, spotted on Facebook that a live sting operation by a so-called paedophile hunter group had led to his neighbour in the Sandfields area of Port Talbot being taken into custody on January 26 this year – and seized the opportunity to break in.
The break-in
Cardiff Crown Court heard that after the neighbour’s arrest, two police community support officers were sent to the property to collect medication. When they arrived, they found a smashed window in the front door.
As the PCSOs returned to their car, Larkman walked past and asked if they had been at the “paedophile’s house”. He was told it was no concern of his.
Prosecutor Brian Simpson said that an hour later, special constables went back to check on the damaged window and found even more damage had been done to the door. The door was unlocked – and when they went inside, they found Larkman standing in the property.
Caught red-handed
The dad-of-one was wearing one glove and was found carrying a pair of pliers and a torch, along with business cards and loyalty-type cards belonging to the homeowner.
Officers saw signs that the property had been searched, and various items including a coin collection had been placed seemingly ready for removal.
Larkman initially told officers the homeowner was his uncle and he was concerned for his welfare. In a later police interview, he gave a prepared statement denying both burglary and going equipped for burglary.
Previous offending
The court heard Larkman has six previous convictions for 14 offences, including three burglaries and frauds from 2015, two attempted burglaries and theft from 2017, a robbery in 2018, and breach of a restraining order in 2020.
His 2017 offences involved wandering the streets of Cwmavon in the early hours trying car and door handles looking for things to steal, which saw him sentenced to nine months in a young offenders’ institution.
Defence and sentencing
Dean Pulling, defending, told the court that damage to the property found by police had been “done by other people who had reacted to seeing the sting” on social media. He said his client was “disappointed” in himself for giving into temptation and returning to his old ways.
Judge Vanessa Francis described the burglary as “opportunistic” in nature. She noted that as a so-called third-strike burglar, she was required to impose a mandatory minimum sentence unless it would be unjust to do so.
The judge said she hoped the gap in Larkman’s offending since 2020 meant he had “grown up and matured” but said she did not consider it unjust to impose the mandatory sentence.
Larkman, now of Oystermouth Road, Swansea, who had previously pleaded guilty to burglary, was sentenced to 876 days in prison. He will serve half in custody before being released on licence.
