Gainsborough: Teen who broke into his grandfather’s house is given one last chance by the judge

Callum Johnson was disturbed when his granddad Jeffrey Thom went to investigate noises he heard shortly before 4 am.

Raglan Ashton, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court: “Mr Thom was downstairs in his house when he heard a noise coming from upstairs.

“He went upstairs and saw a male who was wearing a hat and was hiding behind a clothes rail.

“Mr Thom confronted him. The intruder put his hands over his face and ran out of the room and down the stairs.

“He made his way through the house ending up in a workshop attached to the property. At that stage Mr Thom recognised Johnson as being his grandson.”

Mr Ashton said that Johnson shouted out “Someone made me do it” before Mr Thom called the police and Johnson was arrested.

Johnson, 19, of Wembley Street, Gainsborough, admitted burglary at the house in St John’s Terrace in the town on August 30.

The court was told he had previously received a police caution for stealing £1,000 from his grandfather.

Johnson was given a 12 month sentence in a young offenders’ institution suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Stuart Rafferty QC, passing sentence, told him: “You ought to be absolutely ashamed of yourself.

“I am going to give you one more chance but you will never get another. The reason you will never get another is that if you breach the order the person you will come back before is me and I will remember you. Go away and don’t dare to come back.”

Christopher Geeson, defending, said Johnson’s mother has since forgiven him and it was planned that Johnson would move to live with relatives in the south of England where he has a better chance of finding work.

Mr Geeson added: “ Even though he has been so awful to his family they are clearly supportive of him. He thoroughly deserves to go into custody.

“He could have no argument to say that he shouldn’t and it would all be his fault but he is still only 19 and I ask that you give him one last chance. He has been told he doesn’t deserve it.”