Hartlepool burglar found collapsed on kitchen floor wearing owner's leather jacket

Robert Dunn, 57, was found lying on the kitchen floor of the Hartlepool flat wearing the owner’s leather jacket.

He told police he could not remember breaking into the sheltered accommodation flat in Albany Court, Hartlepool, at 10am on Thursday, June 13, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Rachel Masters said that heavily-convicted Dunn claimed that he suffered from blackouts.

But the judge said that it was because he had turned back to drug-taking after completing a community order which required him to give regular drug tests.

Miss Masters said that the owner heard a bang and he found Dunn, before he contacted staff who called the police.

She added: “He denied he was responsible for the burglary.

”He claimed he suffered blackouts all the time, and he claimed that the coat was his own. He could not recall anything about his arrest.”

Dunn had 21 convictions for 28 offences including burglary. On May 31 last year he was given a suspended sentence and a community order for a sneak-in burglary when he stole a woman’s purse.

Martin Scarborough, defending, said Dunn had had a heroin problem. He suffered blackouts and he had no recollection at all. He went back onto drugs in February and the burglary offence followed in June.

Dunn appeared over a videolink from Durham Prison, and Mr Scarborough added: “I have explained to him that this offence is aggravated by his record.”

Judge Howard Crowson told Dunn: “You worked very hard on that suspended sentence and it seemed to keep you out of trouble.

”But then you relaxed after completing the community punishment part of the order.

”You clearly don’t remember offending. You crashed through that man’s front door, clearly influenced by drugs. You clearly did not plan it.”

Dunn, of King Oswald Drive, Hartlepool, was jailed for 18 months with £140 court surcharge after he pleaded guilty to burglary and breach of a 10 months suspended prison sentence.