A crown court judge told a burglar that he was not Santa!

Barrister Mark Connor had, for various reasons, asked for a suspended sentence for his client Ashley Kendrick.

And he added: “It is Christmas.”

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court, told Kendrick: “It is Christmas.

“But it is a crown court judge not Santa Klaus who is sitting in front of you.”

Kendrick, aged 33, of Edward Henry Street in Rhyl, was jailed for 14 months.

Judge Parry said that he agreed with Mr Connor that although Kendrick qualified for a three year minimum sentence, in view of his record, it would be unjust to impose it.

Kenrick had two qualifying house burglaries which meant he was liable for a statutory minimum three years – but they occurred when he was 17 and 19.

While he had an appalling record with previous convictions for 92 offences, he had not committed a burglary for 14 years, he said.

Judge Parry said that he also took into account the nature of the burglary – the flat was un-occupied during renovations.

Kendrick also had the good sense to plead guilty.

He admitted stealing kitchen drawer handles and a set of lights during a burglary at a flat in Bodfor Street in Rhyl, in January of last year.

The defendant also admitted fraud in that he made false representation that he was entitled to sell kitchen items from the adjoining flat.

Kenrick, a former tenant, was arrested outside the flat after neighbours reported seeing torch lights inside.

It turned out that he had used his key from the time he was a tenant to steal the items and he had just arranged to sell items from a new kitchen being installed, for £250 to an unsuspecting customer, explained prosecuting barrister Ffion Tomos.

The landlord, Christopher Atherton, said in a victim impact statement that he trusted the defendant, had tried to help him when he was a tenant, and felt betrayed by him.

Mr Connor said that his client entered a brave guilty plea to burglary in a dwelling because it was a grey area whether it was.

It had been un-occupied for some time and had been described by one prosecution witness as “a building site”.

While there clearly was a victim, it was not the sort of serious house burglary where a person felt violated when a burglar had stolen property from where someone lived.

“It is a far cry from that sort of situation,” he said.

Kendrick’s record was because of a bad cocaine habit but he was now drugs free, was motivated to remain so, he had two children and his partner was expecting in January.

“His outlook is extremely positive. He wants to be responsible. He is maturing and he sees the future differently to how he has for the past number of years,” he said.