County Durham burglar broke into home of 81-year-old dementia sufferer weeks after prison release

A drug-addicted burglar broke into the County Durham home of an elderly dementia sufferer and stole his wallet.

Mason Curley had only been out of prison for two weeks and was on an electronic tag when he burgled the 81-year-old man's home on September 25 this year. The sleeping victim woke up to find Curley in his bedroom before shouting at him to get out.

Curley fled the Murton property with the man's wallet, which had £20 cash inside. He was later arrested as his GPS electronic tag showed he was in the area at the time of the break-in.

On Friday, Curley, of Luke Crescent, Murton, appeared at Durham Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for burglary. The 31-year-old had pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court heard that the elderly victim is "vulnerable, fragile, and suffering from dementia". Martin Towers, prosecuting, said: "He lives on his own and has little money. He has been targeted over the last two years with seven burglaries, two of which his vehicle had been stolen."

The victim was asleep in bed in the early hours of the morning when Curley broke in. Mr Towers said: "He heard a banging coming from the stairs and was aware the defendant had entered the bedroom. [The victim] shouted 'get out', and the defendant turned around and left. A wallet was stolen from the kitchen, which had £20 inside and various cards."

The court heard Curley had been released from prison merely two weeks before the burglary and was wearing a GPS enabled electronic tag. The tag data linked him to the burglary and he was also captured on doorbell footage.

When he was arrested, he initially denied the burglary and claimed the tag was faulty. Curley had three previous convictions for burglary and had previously been jailed for burglary and theft offences.

Jamie Adams, defending, said there was no evidence to suggest Curley had targeted the victim or knew who the house belonged to. He said the victim seems a "robust individual" but accepted he was vulnerable.

He added: "[Curley] has been blighted by drug addiction since the age of 15. It has been addiction that has been driving everything in his life and bringing him backwards and forwards into the legal system."

Recorder ATA Dallas jailed Curley for 32 months.

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