Burglar who broke into Leeds primary school to steal fundraising money is jailed
A shameless criminal who smashed his way into a Leeds primary school to steal coins raised by the children has been locked up.
Thomas Wilson admitted the break-in along with a string of other burglaries at a charity shop and a nursery.
He was jailed for 20 months at Leeds Crown Court after the judge said that he will “simply not learn his lesson”.
The 25-year-old admitted admitted theft from shop and two non-dwelling burglaries. He has five previous convictions for nine offences, including burglaries. Other crimes were asked to be taken into account, including the nursery break-in.
Wilson had initially stolen £133 worth of alcohol from Morrisons in Horsforth on July 2.
He had put the bottles in a basket and tried to walk out, but a security guard tried to stop him. Wilson was able to get away with his haul.
The next day he smashed his way into the Women’s Aid charity shop on Featherbank Avenue in Horsforth when it was closed.
He threw a beer bottle at the window to smash it, then climbed through.
He smashed the till and took £60, damaged donation boxes by trying to empty them of coins and stole costume jewellery worth £100.
Then a day later, just after 9pm, Wilson broke into Horsforth Newlaithes Primary School.
He forced open the main door of the Victoria Crescent school, then smashed the glass to gain entry to the reception office.
He forced open a locked cabinet and took the coins from the fundraising event. The damage he caused ran to thousands of pounds, prosecutor Emily Thorbjornsen said.
Wilson, of Victoria Mount, Horsforth, was arrested the next day but refused to answer questions during his police interview.
Mitigating, John Hobley said Wilson was “ashamed” and “recognised the selfishness of his actions”.
Wilson appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds.
Judge Ray Singh looked at Wilson’s previous convictions and said: “You simply will not learn your lesson.”
He told him that the public are “sick to the back teeth” of people like him, who feel they can walk into shops and “take whatever they can”.
He said the message “must go out” that it would not be tolerated.
He jailed him for 20 months.