Teen stole from dead pal's home
A SICK teenage thief stole from his dead mate's bedroom just weeks after attending his funeral.
Scott Angus,18, died of a heart defect which had gone undetected after collapsing while out skateboarding with friends on May 10.
Richard Hancock went to the funeral 11 days later and attended Scott’s home, on Albert Street in Normanton, for the wake, where he spotted an expensive mobile phone and iPod in the dead teenager’s bedroom, Leeds Crown Court heard.
Hancock returned to the house three weeks later, saying he wanted to speak to Scott’s 19-year-old sister, Tracy, about getting tribute photographs.
She was out, but Scott’s disabled mum, Lynda, let him in for a chat.
Prosecutor Alison Storey said Hancock used going to the toilet as an excuse to sneak into the teenager’s bedroom.
He was caught when the grieving family realised the items were missing hours after his visit and called the police.
Hancock, 18, of Ferry Fryston, told police he had always wanted that type of Nokia mobile phone. He also stole Scott’s bank card and 14 from his wallet.
Sam Andrews, mitigating, said Hancock, who admitted burglary at an earlier hearing, was immature but now felt genuine remorse.
Sentencing him to 18 months in a young offenders institution, Judge Peter Benson said: “It is hard to imagine a meaner and more callous offence.”
Speaking after the case, Scott’s dad, Noel, 43, said 18 months was not enough.
He said: “We were extremely upset.
“He should have got longer for the heartache he has caused.
“Because of this we have gone through all the grief again.
“It was bad enough going through the funeral, but for someone to rifle through his bedroom and take sentimental items is unbelievable.
“I can’t understand what was going on in his mind.
“Scott had skateboarding videos and pictures on his phone, which had been wiped. Hancock had completely personalised the phone by the time the police got to him and that really sickened me.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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