'Prolific burglar' confronted by terrified Leeds woman as tried to enter her home
He has 17 previous break-in convictions
A burglar described as being a “prolific and long-established” criminal came face to face with a woman as he tried to sneakily enter her home.
Ashley Giles, who has 17 previous burglaries on his criminal record, left, but was arrested after breaking into a further property three days later.
The drug addict avoided a minimum three-year mandatory sentence, but was still jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week.
The 32-year-old had been trying door handles to waterfront properties in the outskirts of Leeds at around 11am on March 23.
A female occupant heard a noise from her unlocked front door and went to investigate, only to be confronted by Giles.
He said he was looking from a friend and then left, prosecutor Paul Mitchell said.
The woman locked her door and went to the window, where she spotted him trying a neighbour’s door.
Having contacted the police, she was able to pass on doorbell camera footage of Giles.
But before they had chance to arrest him for the attempted break-in, he and and two others had gained entry to the residential area of Indigo Blu on Crown Point Road three days later.
While there, they stole an Amazon parcel worth £20.
Footage showed he had been wearing the same clothes for both the attempted house burglary and the theft of the parcel.
He was arrested on March 29 then refused to leave his cell to be interviewed.
Giles, of Flaxton Street, Beeston, has 30 previous convictions for 56 offences. He appeared in court from custody over a video link to HMP Leeds.
He admitted charges of burglary and attempted burglary.
Mitigating, Mollie Briggs said Giles was expecting an immediate custodial sentence, but said he did not necessarily have to face the the mandatory three-year sentence.
She said his last burglary was 2017, and on this occasion the completed burglary had not involved an intrusion because the parcel had been taken from a communal area rather than a living space.
Ms Briggs added that his addiction to heroin and crack cocaine had led him to steal, but since being held on remand was now on a drug-free wing.
She said he was also attending Andy’s Man Club, a counselling organisation that hold sessions to allow males to discuss their personal problems.
Judge Christopher Batty agreed not to activate the mandatory sentence, but gave him a 24-month sentence.