A 47-year-old from Holyhead has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after admitting to smashing a window at a dental surgery and burgling a residential garage.
Barry Winters, of Maes Hyfryd Road, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday (April 13).
Criminal record
The court heard Winters has an extensive history of offending, with 35 previous convictions spanning 66 separate offences. Twenty-seven of those were for theft, and six were for domestic burglaries.
The offences
Prosecuting, Rabiah Tariq told the court that CCTV captured Winters in the early hours of November 13 last year near a dental surgery on Thomas Street, Holyhead. Footage showed him covering his face before using a rock to smash a window at the premises.
On the same date, a homeowner in Holyhead discovered that two bicycles – valued at a combined £1,100 – had been taken from their garage. Forensic examination of the garage revealed Winters’ fingerprints inside.
The investigation
The stolen bikes were recovered after they were returned by the homeowner’s nephew, though he declined to cooperate further with the police investigation. Winters was arrested and interviewed the following day but gave no comment responses throughout.
Mitigation and sentence
Richard Edwards, defending, said Winters’ strongest point of mitigation was his early guilty plea. He told the court his client was eager to use his time in prison constructively and hoped to be in a better position upon release to break the cycle of reoffending.
Judge Timothy Petts sentenced Winters to two years and four months – half of which will be served in custody, with the remainder spent on licence. Winters was also ordered to pay £228 in compensation towards the cost of replacing the dental surgery window.
