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09
Feb
Man broke into Harrogate property to 'seek refuge' after being chased by group
A man broke into a Harrogate property to 'seek refuge' from a group of people he claims were chasing him, a court has been told.
Wayne Ilsley, 37, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (February 5) when he admitted one offence of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.
Prosecutor Antony Farrell told the court a resident of a three-storey building on Victoria Avenue, which is occupied by both residential and commercial tenants, heard glass smashing at around 6pm on New Year’s Day this year.
The resident saw the window of a commercial unit had been smashed and found Ilsley sitting inside the premises, where he told the resident he had broken into the property.
Police were called and when officers arrived, they too found the smashed window and noted the defendant was “intoxicated”.
The value of the damage caused is not known, Mr Farrell said.
'He accepts he could've called 999'
Michelle Stewart, defending, told the magistrates the background to the case was “quite unusual”.
She said Ilsley, of Station Lane in the Gilesgate area of Durham, claims a group of people chased him down an alleyway that evening, where he hid.
He then broke into the Victoria Avenue property to “run away” from the group.
"There is no indication he was doing anything other than seeking refuge", Ms Stewart added.
The court heard:
He accepts he could’ve dealt with it by calling 999, but in the moment he decided [breaking in] was the safer thing to do.
There was no planning and limited culpability. It was low-level damage.
Ilsley suffers with anxiety and depression, but he takes medication for his mental health, Ms Stewart added.
The chair of the magistrates’ bench said the situation was “clearly difficult”, but told Ilsley he “did not deal with it in the best way”.
Ilsley was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £26 surcharge.
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