Burglar blames lack of drug aid

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.

A Bradford drug addict burgled a house because he had not had an implant to stop him taking heroin, a court was told.

Andrew McQuade should have had the implant after his release from a prison sentence, his barrister told Bradford Crown Court.

Nikki Peers said that because McQuade did not have the help he needed he soon fell into his "old ways" which had seen him receive prison sentences throughout the last 15 years.

The court heard yesterday that McQuade had an extensive record for breaking into homes and had received lengthy prison sentences for similar offences in 1994, 1996 and 2003.

The 35-year-old was released from jail in February but, while on licence, he forced his way into a house in Haworth Road, Heaton, and stole property worth more than £10,000.

Prosecutor Giles Bridge said the burglary took place in April while the householder was away.

When she returned, she found property including jewellery and electrical equipment missing.

McQuade was arrested after other people were caught using credit cards stolen in the break-in and, with his help, property worth £3,800 was recovered.

The court heard that McQuade, who had been a heroin user since he was 19, also told police about a series of other offences he had committed.

Yesterday he confirmed that he wanted a further 29 other offences, including 23 house burglaries, to be taken into consideration.

Mr Bridge said those offences covered a period between 2001 and 2005.

Judge Geoffrey Kamil was told that McQuade, of Kildare Crescent, Allerton, had one year and 152 days outstanding from his previous sentence when he committed the house burglary.

He ordered him to serve that outstanding sentence first, but then jailed him for an additional three years for the latest offence.

Mrs Peers, for McQuade, said that her client was realistic about the outcome of the hearing and had conceded that the judge only had one option.

She explained that McQuade had been hoping for some assistance with his drug problem when he was released from prison.

But an implant was not fitted because of a lack of funding at that time.

"As a result he tried his best without the implant and went to a number of initial assessments," said Miss Peers.

"But without the strict assistance of the implant he quickly fell back into his old ways."

She said there had been a change in McQuade's attitude and he now realised that enough was enough.

"Ironically, in a sense he's inviting the court to pass a sentence of some length so that he can try and address some of his difficulties," added Miss Peers.

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