Broughton teenagers locked up for Tattenhall house burglary

Feb 24 2010 Chester Chronicle

TWO teenagers who took part in what a judge described as a well planned house burglary have both been locked up.

Christopher Benyon, 19, and Stefan Jones, 18, both of Ellesmere Avenue in Broughton, admitted house burglary at the home of a family in Tattenhall while they slept in their beds. They also admitted stealing from a car.

Benyon, who was in breach of a suspended sentence and who asked for a further 22 offences of stealing from cars, to be taken into consideration, was sentenced to 20 months youth custody.

Jones, who had no previous convictions, received ten months.

Mold Crown Court Judge John Rogers QC said that on October 14, while the occupants of a house in Bramley Road, Tattenhall, were asleep, the pair broke in and stole property valued at almost £10,000.

“This was a well-planned burglary,” the judge said. “You both live in Broughton. Tattenhall is a village five or six miles away from where you live.”

They had been there previously, took the keys to the property from a car parked outside, then returned on October 14 not only with keys but with a screwdriver and other equipment with which to remove the security chain.

They got in and took a large amount of property.

Tony Rose, for Benyon, said that his client had shown a remarkable degree of frankness with the police. He suffered from depression, had fallen in with a group of people, and these offences resulted.

Duncan Bould, for Jones, said his client was a young man of good character who was a family orientated, pleasant and courteous young man. He was full of remorse for what he had got himself involved in.

Those who knew him described him as the last young man they would expect to get into trouble.