Thieves left Hartlepool house uninhabitable after stripping it of all its plumbing

The empty property in Cornwall Street, Hartlepool, was left “a shell” after it was targeted by metal thieves between the end of July and beginning of August in 2020.

One of the group, 25-year-old Jordan Ward, whose blood was found inside the house, admitted burglary and was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday.

It was said he acted chiefly as the lookout although some of his blood was found on a floorboard inside the address.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said significant damage was caused to the property consistent with criminals looking for metal to sell as scrap.

Judge Chris Smith said: “All the copper piping – plumbing – was effectively ransacked from the property.”

Addressing Ward, he said this “was a bad burglary”, adding: "Nobody could live in it as a consequence until they had repaired thousands of pounds worth of damage.”

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said Ward had been exploited by others involved due to his moderate learning difficulties.

Mr Scarborough said: “He wasn’t the mastermind. He’s not someone who goes out burgling.

"He does say he was effectively the lookout for all intents and purposes.”

The judge told Ward that people convicted of burglary usually go to prison.

But he said there was “considerable” mitigation, adding: “You were, I’m satisfied, taken advantage of.”

Ward, formerly from Hartlepool and now of Riverside Terrace, Millfield, in Sunderland, was given a two-year community order, nine months drug rehabilitation, and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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