Dudley drug addict who broke into house but 'didn't intend to burgle it' is jailed for 10 months for string of offences
A Dudley man who broke into a house he knew was empty did not intend to burgle it, a court has heard.
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But drug addict Wayne Ball, aged 40, was still jailed at Wolverhampton Crown Court for a string of offences including burglary dwelling with intent to steal.
The case was held up for half an hour by Judge Michael Chambers KC to consider the matter of whether Ball knew the house was unoccupied.
Ball entered the property, which was owned by an asset company, on The Priory in Dudley when neighbours called the police on January 29 this year after witnessing him scaling the fence outside then entering the house.
Officers arrived within minutes and found him hiding in the loft, immediately arresting him.
In the previous few months, Ball had carried out a string of offences, which he had earlier admitted to at Walsall Magistrates Court, and was wanted on licence.
