Two broke in to White Hart

TWO GAINSBOROUGH burglars broke into the White Hart Hotel on Lord Street - but claimed it was ‘by accident.’

Susan Marie Wasley, 37, from The Avenue, and Gary Holmes, 38, from Dunstall Walk, pleaded guilty to breaking into the historic pub, restaurant and hotel on 6th March and stealing a CCTV monitor, beer and crisps.

Police found CCTV images showing that Wasley and Holmes were two of four offenders that trespassed in the White Hart. DNA and fingerprint evidence also linked them to the scene, and stolen items were found in Holmes’ house.

Lincoln Magistrates Court heard that the pub had been closed and boarded up since November 2011. The new landlord was picking up items from the White Hart when he discovered that intruders had been there and that several items were missing. The court heard how Holmes had been to Bell’s newsagents on Church Street before he went to the back of the White Hart to use their toilet. He claims that he was unaware that the pub had closed. Holmes claimed that he found the back door open.

He then entered to find that most of the stock and belongings had been removed before ‘helping himself’ to a bottle of beer and a CCTV monitor.

His defence described the burglary as a ‘spontaneous act that almost happened by accident’.

District Judge John Stobart told the pair: “If this pub hadn’t have been shut, I would be sending you to Crown Court to be sent to prison for as long as they can.”

He added: “I don’t accept that you went into this building by accident”

Both Holmes and Wasley were given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 each towards court costs.