A REPEAT burglar is behind bars after a two week crime spree, during which he threatened to stab two of his victims.

Michael Parker, 36, was identified partly due to the quick thinking of a woman who spotted him attempting to break into a flat at Carlisle’s Higginson Mill in the Denton Holme area of Carlisle on July 10.

He admitted two burglaries, an attempted burglary, an affray, two assaults by beating, and vehicle interference. He threatened one victim - a recovering cancer patient - with a bottle, the court heard.

Prosecuting barrister Rachael Woods outlined Parker’s offending, which ended abruptly on July 26 when he was arrested for offences committed that day.

Describing the first offence, the barrister said that a witness at Higginson Mill became suspicious at 9.30pm when she heard somebody trying door handles in an alleyway to the rear of the property, the court heard.

As he did this, Parker was pushing the doors to see if they were locked.

She then saw Parker rip a plank off wood from an outside bin store before going down the alleyway and trying the door handles of other properties.

“It caused her to open her door and ask him if he needed any help,” said Miss Woods. “The male said he needed to get into the flats; she said that if he lived there he would know how to get in in to the flats.

“She threatened to call the police.”

At this point, Parker approached her, brandishing the metre-long plank of wood. As he did this, he swore at her and threatened to stab her, leaving her feeling unsafe, given that it was a secluded area.

A passing dog walker, noticing there was a commotion, intervened, telling Parker to go on his way and the defendant began rooting around in the bag he was carrying before telling the man: “I’m going to stab you; I’ve got a knife.”

He was also then seen reaching into his jacket. Reacting to this, the dog walker picked up the discarded plank and threw it at Parker, making him fall.

Despite them trying to restrain him, he was able to get away.

At 10pm that same evening, the woman who Parker threatened saw him trying door handles at houses on a nearby street and so she slowed down to ask him if he recognised her. “He claimed he’d never seen her before,” said Miss Woods.

“She took a picture of him and contacted the police. Shortly before this, Parker was seen trying car door handles in Caldew Street, Denton Holme.

His remaining offences were committed on July 26, beginning at 2pm when a resident discovered that Parker had sneaked into her flat, where she found him.

He told her that he had some heroin.

As she tried to usher him out of the flat, he grabbed her arm, but she was able to push him out of the front door and lock it.

Moments later, Parker walked into another flat in the building, where the occupant, a man who was recovering from cancer treatment, sitting in the living room. “The defendant simply walked in, carrying a pair of trainers with their security tag on.

“He said he was in the wrong flat and offered [the homeowner] some heroin and asked him if he had some foil.”

When the man stood up and told Parker to leave, the defendant raised a bottle of wine he was carrying 'like a cosh.'

As the victim began pushing him from the flat, Parker kept the bottle raised and asked: “Do you want some?” meaning did he want to fight.

The court heard that the victims felt their private spaces had been violated. The man struggled to sleep after the incident while the woman whose flat was invaded said she no longer felt safe in her own home.

Andrew Gurney, defending, said Parker felt shame and remorse for his actions.

“He doesn’t attempt to excuse his behaviour in any way,” said the lawyer. “He had a difficult start in life and mental health issues from the age of 14.

He self-medicated and became addicted to alcohol.

“Substance misuse has blighted the whole of his adult life,” said Mr Gurney. Parker’s mental health had deteriorated after the death of his long-term partner, and this had contributed significantly to his offending.

Referring to the defendant’s time behind bars since he was remanded in custody, Mr Gurney added: “This is the longest period of sobriety he has enjoyed in his adult life and he wants to continue that and address his mental health issues on his release.”

Judge Michael Fanning told Parker, who has 12 previous offences on his record, he recognised the impact of his bereavement but said: “Not everybody who suffers such tragedy goes out to the commit offences on these two occasions in July this year."

The judge added: “Frankly, people have to be safe in their own homes and people who commit burglaries have to know that they will go to prison. Immediate custody, and only immediate custody, is justified.

He jailed Parker, from Stonegarth, Morton, for two years and three months.

After the hearing, Detective Sergeant Gary Story, of Cumberland CID, said: “We take burglary, theft, and violence offences extremely seriously. Those who carry out such offences can also expect to face a police investigation and prosecution.

“We would like to remind people to remain vigilant to the threat of thefts and burglaries and report and suspicious persons or activity to police via our online reporting form, live chat or 101 or if a crime is occurring on 999.”

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