Christopher West, 38, was found asleep on the family’s sofa in their Sunderland home (Picture: North News/PA)
A shocked family returned home from holiday to find a burglar asleep on their sofa, who had helped himself to food and taken a nap, a court heard.
The family from Sunderland returned home on October 27 last year to find Christopher West, 38, inside their property, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The dad dragged West outside, who despite not stealing anything, had helped himself to food, drink and alcohol and had smoked indoors.
The court heard the family went away on October 24 and a neighbour had seen West sitting on their garden fence on October 26.
When West was confronted by the neighbour, he went away.
Prosecutor Joe Hedworth told the court: ‘The property has a private drive with a high fence and electric gate.
‘They got out and the child picked up a blue lighter from the ground, which didn’t belong to the family.
‘The female occupier was concerned and looked through the living room window and saw the defendant asleep on their sofa.
‘She told her partner there was someone in the house and they took the child to a neighbour’s property.
He tried to convince the family that a Chinese woman had let him in (Picture: North News & Pictures)
‘The man then opened the door and went inside. He shouted at the defendant, woke him up and pulled him out of the property.’
When asked how he got into the home, drunken West lied and said ‘your lass let me in’ before he claimed a Chinese woman let him in.
When he was arrested by police he was found to have two folding knives and some pliers in his possession.
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The mum said in a victim impact statement: ‘I now have the feeling our safe place is now not safe.
‘We work hard for what we’ve got and to have someone intrude in our home is terrifying.’
The court heard alcohol ‘ravaged’ his life and he is ‘remorseful’ and ‘mortified’ by his behaviour.
West, of Torquay Road, Sunderland, who has one previous conviction, for unlawful wounding in 2003, pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to 20 months suspended for two years with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and rehabilitation.
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‘I now have the feeling our safe place is now not safe.’
