Reading Crown Court: Prolific Newbury housebreaker jailed for Thatcham burglary

A prolific housebreaker, addicted to drink and drugs since he was a child, has been jailed for his latest burglary.

Michael Da Silva, who had targeted vulnerable victims in a retirement complex in Thatcham, described himself as "scum" after getting caught.

On Tuesday, October 18, the 40-year-old, of Northway, Newbury, admitted burgling an assisted living home in The Maltings on Saturday, July 9.

He asked for 10 other offences to be taken into consideration, including attempted house burglary, taking vehicles without consent, handling stolen goods and theft.

He also has 126 previous convictions for offences including burglary, fraud and theft.

Efstathios Divaris, prosecuting, said of the break-in at The Maltings that residents awoke one morning to find their communal television had been stolen.

Two intruders had set off an alarm but it was so quiet that everyone had slept through it, the court heard.

CCTV footage showed Da Silva and an accomplice covering the camera with a blanket after they broke in through a fire door, causing damage in the process.

Da Silva was arrested on July 15 and gave a "no comment" interview, refusing to identify his accomplice, the judge was told.

Mr Efstathios said the offence was aggravated by the fact that Da Silva had deliberately targeted vulnerable victims.

Caroline Stewart, defending, said all of her client's offending was acquisitive in nature because he had been abusing alcohol since he was aged 12 and had been a heroin addict since he was 14 years old.

She added: "He has been very candid about his offending and the reasons for it.

"He has expressed remorse and told probation that he feels like scum for committing this particular offence."

Ms Stewart acknowledged that the latest offending placed Da Silva in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for theft from a motor vehicle.

Judge Edward Burgess KC said: "The premises were occupied by elderly, vulnerable people and I believe the offence was targeted.

"This is a rather sad, but not unusual, case, in the sense that you are trapped in a cycle of drug abuse and offending to fund that drug abuse.

"I hope you will be able to break that cycle."

He imposed a three-year-and-four-month prison term on Da Silva.

Half of that will be served in custody and the remainder on licence in the community.