Reading Crown Court: Serial burglar from Newbury spared prison

A JUDGE promised a “nightmare” serial burglar he would spare him jail – then learned he was the prime suspect in a new string of break-ins.

There was silence for a few seconds after the bombshell was dropped.

But Rhys Boness-Braybrooke nevertheless walked from the dock instead of going straight to prison.

Naomi Perry, prosecuting, told Reading Crown Court on Thursday, July 26, that the 23-year-old had already racked up 55 convictions, including multiple burglaries of homes and businesses and offences against women.

She outlined his latest convictions in chronological order, starting with a burglary at the former Wyevale Garden Centre in Thatcham – an offence committed while Boness-Braybrooke was on bail for other matters.

There then followed a break-in at Tigers Day Nursery in Thatcham, where windows were smashed and staff lockers were jemmied in order to loot them.

Next was a company break-in at Lower Henwick Farm, Thatcham, involving hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

A warehouse burglary nearby and interference with a Range Rover car soon followed.

Boness-Braybrooke, who had been living at Gordon Court in Newbury, admitted all the offences at a previous hearing.

Carolina Cabral, defending, said her client had not done well at school, could not read or write or even tell the time.

She said sending him to prison would have a “catastrophic effect” on him because he was so easily led astray by others.

Ms Cabral added: “It would be a disaster for this young man.”

She suggested Boness-Braybrooke suffered from oppositional defiance disorder, whose symptoms reportedly include arguing with authority figures, refusing to follow rules and blaming others for mistakes.

She said his behaviour had improved since moving in with his brother in Hungerford – although she conceded, after being questioned by Judge Edward Burgess QC, that he too was a serious, repeat offender.

Judge Burgess described Boness-Braybrooke as “a nightmare to deal with” but said he would not be sending him back to prison.

A previous custodial sentence had clearly done nothing to deter his offending, he added.

Ms Cabral said her client had apparently been out of trouble since moving in with his brother and his “chaotic lifestyle” had been improving.

Judge Burgess repeated he would not be sending Boness-Braybrooke back to prison.

But then, after consulting with a Crown Prosecution Service colleague, Ms Perry told the court: “I have just been told that he is, in fact, currently under investigation for a number of break-ins of houseboats in the Newbury area.

“In three of them, he is linked by DNA; in two others, he is linked to the offences by items found at his address.”

Judge Burgess said that, if those matters were proved, the judge in that case might take a different approach.

But, true to his earlier words, he did not send Boness-Braybrooke back to prison.

Instead he was made subject to an 18-month community order.

In addition, he must observe a nightly curfew, monitored by electronic tag, for the next six months.