Two men jailed after pleading guilty to spree of burglaries in Gosport

Joshua Stedman, aged 32, and 29-year-old Craig James appeared in Portsmouth Crown Court on February 23, 2023.

The pair had previously been charged with burgling an address in Beauchamp Avenue on August 31, 2022, and they both admitted this offence when they appeared in court on October 13, 2022, along with four counts of fraud by false representation.

The four counts of fraud relate to the use of stolen bank cards.

Stedman also pleaded guilty to burgling Hardway Sailing Club on August 18, and the pair admitted theft after they stole £174 worth of alcohol from ASDA in Fareham on August 30, 2022.

At the sentencing hearing, Stedman dealt with for a separate series of burglaries he committed in 2021.

In the early hours of the morning on 9 April 2021, Stedman gained entry to a bungalow along The Avenue in Gosport and on the same morning, he also burgled St Mary’s Parish Church Centre along Green Road.

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After forcing entry, he conducted an untidy search, damaging a cupboard door in the process, and stole some paperwork.

Three days later, on Apri 12, he committed another burglary at the Wilmott Lane Depot and after unsuccessful attempts to access units at the site, Stedman forced entry to a building on site and stole hand tools and approximately £200 in cash.

Forensic enquiries and examination of Stedman’s shoes connected him to all three incidents, and he was subsequently charged with three counts of burglary.

Appearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on March 21, 2022, Stedman, of no fixed abode, admitted these three burglaries.

At today’s hearing, he was sentenced to 45 months.

James, formerly of Pine Road in Bournemouth, was jailed for 29 months.

Inspector Matt Wake said: ‘Stedman and James are prolific burglars and thieves who are now behind bars as a result of their crimes.

‘This result follows the work of officers from the dedicated Operation Hawk team, who specialise in investigating burglary and targeting perpetrators of this type of offence.

‘I hope this result provides some reassurance to the local community, and encourages anyone who is affected by this type of crime to report this to police.’