Prolific Gosport burglar is jailed after string of offences
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Nicky Russell, 40, from Parklands Close, Gosport, pleaded guilty to a string of offences, including burglary and handling stolen goods.
These included four break-ins in March alone, with laptops, phones, games consoles and more stolen from people’s homes.
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Overnight on March 18, Russell burgled a house in Mayfield Road, Gosport, stealing bank cards, a tablet, a laptop, a mobile phone and jewellery.
On March 27, he burgled two homes in Shaftesbury Road, Gosport, where he took a Samsung mobile phone and a Playstation 4 from one house, and a handbag, wallet, bank cards, iPhone, Nokia mobile and car keys from another.
Then overnight on March 26 he attempted to burgle a house in Woodstock Road, Gosport, before handling stolen goods, namely a suitcase and grey man bag, on July 1.
Russell pleaded guilty to all of these when he appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on July 31.
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Hide AdA further 12 burglaries, a bike theft and a criminal damage committed by Russell were taken into consideration by the court when it came to sentencing.
Police said Russell previously burst into tears in the dock when the effect of his crimes were revealed in a victim statement.
Judge William Ashworth told Russell he had operated as a ‘professional burglar and thief’, before sentencing him to six years and four months in prison.
PC Nick Jackson from Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Hawk team, said: ‘This is a fantastic result for the community.
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Hide Ad‘Russell had been causing misery to countless people with his selfish criminality.
‘I hope this provides some closure to those affected by his offending, and reassures the public that we are committed to tackling those who cause the most harm to our communities and will bring them to justice.’