Burglar boarded marina boats while owners slept
GoogleA burglar who boarded two boats in a marina and stole mobile phones while their owners slept in their cabins has been given a suspended sentence as a "last chance" for rehabilitation.
Daniel Cowie, 35, climbed over a security barrier to get on to the pontoons at Royal Quays Marina in North Shields in the early hours of 24 June, Newcastle Crown Court said.
One of the victims, a 72-year-old man, said the burglary made him realise how "vulnerable" he was.
Cowie, whose "appalling" criminal record included dozens of thefts, admitted burglary and fraud. Recorder Christopher Rose said the public would be better served by Cowie tackling his drug and drink addiction than immediate imprisonment.
Cowie was intoxicated when he scaled the security fence and started entering boats at about 04:00 BST, prosecutor Rachel Butt said.
'He needs help'
The court heard he stole mobile phones from two boats while the owners were asleep.
He then used one of the phones to make purchases totalling about £200 at nearby shops, the court was told, although all the money had since been refunded by the victim's bank.
In a statement read to the court, one of the victims said he was "grateful" he had not woken and encountered the burglar.
He said the theft of his phone had resulted in the loss of two opportunities as he had not been able to reply to emails, while the whole incident made him realise how "vulnerable" he was.
The man said he did "not hate" the burglar but rather felt "sorry for him", adding: "Maybe he needs help."
Unpaid work
The court heard Cowie had 108 offences on his criminal record including 67 theft and kindred, robbery and burglary.
Homeless Cowie claimed he entered the marina to find an empty boat to sleep in, the court heard.
Rose said he had an "appalling" record and the boat burglaries were "extremely grave", but he had served multiple prison sentences before which did not appear to have stopped his offending.
The judge said Cowie getting clean of drugs and alcohol would "break the cycle of offending" and better protect the public, which would not be accomplished with another short prison stint.
"Be under no illusion this is your last chance", the judge told Cowie.
He was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and other work with the Probation Service.
Cowie, who told the court he was planning to move to get away from criminal associates in the North East, was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
