Boy burglar signed his letter of apology (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Boy burglar signed his letter of apology

A BOY burglar wrote a letter of apology to the Cotswold woman whose home he had raided - and then signed it, a judge was told.

The woman, who had found the bathroom and bedroom of her Moreton home searched by an intruder, was surprised to get the letter several days letter, Gloucester Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

The boy had even signed the letter with his first name, said prosecutor Kate Goldie - although he later denied he was the author.

Police who arrested the 14-year-old local youth for the raid after finding his fingerprints on the bathroom window discovered at his home the exercise book in which he had written the letter. Forensic tests established it was the same book and that he was the writer.

The boy was before the court appealing against the four-months detention and training order imposed on him by Gloucester Magistrates for the burglary and for another offence of causing danger to road users by stretching a wire across the High street in Moreton.

The boy claimed he had nothing to do with actually positioning the wire across the road and was not involved.

"There was the potential for serious harm if a motorcycle had come along," commented Judge Martin Picton.

Ruth Armstrong, for the youth, said the principal reason for his appeal was that shortly before the four-month sentence was passed on him the youth had been made subject of a referral order.

She argued that this had not had time to 'kick in' and be of benefit to the youth and help direct him away from crime.

Miss Armstrong asked the court to quash the sentence and pass an order which would allow the youth to receive the benefit of help rather than punishment.

Judge Martin Picton, sitting with a magistrate, allowed the boy's appeal and freed him with a 12 months supervision order coupled with a three month 7pm to 7am curfew and tagging order.