UK COMPUTERS STOLEN Addict stole computers worth £13k from Oldbury school (From Halesowen News):

Addict stole computers worth £13k from Oldbury school

11:59am Thursday 7th May 2009

AN OLDBURY man who raided a school in the area and got away with £13,000 worth of laptop computers has been spared further time behind bars.

Drug addict Dean Geddes smashed his way into Moat Farm Infants School where he caused £2,500 worth of damage before escaping with the computers.

The 29-year-old also broke into a Church Hall in Smethwick where he damaged a photo copying machine, said Mr Warren Stanier prosecuting.

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court Geddes left bloodstains at the scene of both burglaries and police were able to identify him through DNA testing.

Geddes, of Edmonds Road, admitted two burglary charges and was given a 12 month jail term suspended for two years and was placed under supervision for a year.

Recorder David Tucker told Geddes, who had spent 103 days in prison while being held on remand, it was to his credit he was taking determined steps to resolve his drug problem.

"You have already demonstrated you have the motivation to change," said the Recorder who ruled it would be better to allow him to continue his drug battle than spend more time in custody.

Sharonjit Bahia defending said Geddes had been hooked on cocaine and heroin and that had led to him offending time and again.

But since being held on remand he had managed to become drug free.

She said: "He is desperate to show he can maintain the great progress he has made in recent weeks."

Geddes, who had a string of previous convictions involving burglaries on commercial premises, also knocked down a door to gain access to St Hilda's Church Hall.