Serial Hartlepool offender jailed at Teesside Crown Court for confrontation with shocked homeowner

The householder was at home on Owton Manor Lane, Hartlepool, when serial offender Christopher Small tried to walk in through her front door.

Small, 45, who has a “dreadful” criminal record with over 180 recorded offences, was under the influence of drugs, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The resident was alerted by her dogs barking at around 1.40pm.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said: “She saw the defendant who had opened the front door and had one leg in the hallway.

"The occupier shouted at him to leave. He said ‘I’m not going’ and refused to leave.

"The victim struggled to close the door on him.”

When she eventually did manage to shut the door, Small repeatedly banged a vape on glass around the door causing a small crack.

The woman told him she was going to call the police. But Small, whose speech was slurred, threatened to return if she did.

He was then seen to try all four door handles of an Audi car parked on the road before a man shouted at him.

Around 20 minutes before the attempted burglary in Owton Manor Lane, Small was seen staggering in the street in Midlothian Road and shouting names.

When he was picked up by police he had a number of tablets on him.

Small, of Mulroy Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and criminal damage on the day that he was due stand trial.

The court heard he had been in court 75 times before and has 181 offences on his record including burglary, many thefts and some violence.

He was on licence after just being released from prison in November.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said Small initially stayed in a hostel outside Hartlepool and was doing well.

But as soon as he returned to Hartlepool he began taking drugs again.

Mr Scarborough said Small has very little memory of the incidents on December 9 last year.

Jailing him for 18 months, Recorder Fiona Davies said: "You are lucky the prosecution didn’t charge this as a full [burglary] offence which they could have done as you stuck one foot in the door and refused to move initially.

"It must have been frightening for her.”