Northampton burglar who left garden fork he used to break in on bed of victim locked up

A homeowner thought he had been left a threatening message when he found his home broken into and a garden fork on this bed
A homeowner thought he had been left a threatening message when he found his home broken into and a garden fork on this bed.A homeowner thought he had been left a threatening message when he found his home broken into and a garden fork on this bed.
A homeowner thought he had been left a threatening message when he found his home broken into and a garden fork on this bed.

A burglar who broke into a Northampton house using a garden fork before leaving it on the victim's bed and making a getaway has been jailed.

The victim of Luke Connors, of Middlemore, Southfields, came home to his address in Lings in January this year to find the back door smashed in and every room turned over.

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But Northampton Crown Court heard how the homeowner was left "fearing violence" after finding a garden fork ominously lying on his mattress in the master bedroom.

However, the fork was only there because Connors, 23, had taken it from the garden shed, used it to break into the house before leaving it behind and making off with up to £500 of jewellery.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said in sentencing: "There is no evidence you would have used the fork to hurt anyone but that's how they viewed it."

It comes after the young man was previously sentenced in 2017 for burglary.

Connors was named an "opportunistic" offender and jailed for 30 months.