A convicted burglar who terrified a 98-year-old man after breaking into his home overnight has been jailed for more than two years.
John Kennedy smashed his way into the elderly gentleman’s house in Thorpe Lea Road, Peterborough at around 2.30am on May 19.
The 40-year-old broke his way through patio doors and carried out a “messy search” of the victim’s living room before leaving with nothing.
A court heard how although nothing with stolen from inside the home, several bottles of alcohol were missing reported missing from the garage.
Police were called out and forensic officers managed to take fingerprint samples from the damaged door which came back as a match to Kennedy.
The following day officers arrested Kennedy who was found to be living in a tent close to the victim’s home. He was later charged with burglary and remanded in custody.
DC Pete Wise, from the northern burglary team, said: “Whilst Kennedy is a convicted burglar and has a significant history of burgling, he had gone a period of about 10 years without committing any offences of this nature.
“That all changed on May 19 when, in the middle of the night, he broke into an innocent 98-year-old man’s home while he was sleeping.
“I hope today’s result comes as some reassurance for the victim that Kennedy is now in prison.”
Today (June 18), Kennedy, of no fixed address, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court where he admitted the offence.
He pleaded guilty to one count of burglary with intent to steal and was sentenced to a total of 876 days in prison; just less than two years and five months.
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