Prison door closes on cat flap burglar

A Christchurch man was jailed today for burglaries where he gained entry through a cat-flap. File photo / NZ Herald

A burglar who broke into two Christchurch homes by reaching through the cat-flap and unlocking doors was locked up himself today.

Michael John West, 35, was sentenced in Christchurch District Court today after earlier admitting the burglaries carried out while the occupants were asleep.

In the first house he took a money box with $150 in it. In the second house he took a large amount of cash and business papers, until he was disturbed, and caught later by police.

Defence counsel Vicky Walsh said West's offending occurred at a time when he his circumstances were desperate -- he was homeless, hungry and without any support.

His sister died in the February earthquake, and he was taking the party pill drug BZP.

He entered the two homes for food, and the property he took had been recovered in full.

Since being in prison he had been on anti-depressants, and she apologised on his behalf to the victims.

Judge Robert Murfitt said West had 21 previous convictions of this kind, and these burglaries were premeditated, almost professional.

He said the Christchurch community was hyper-sensitive, anxious, vulnerable and easily frightened, and all burglaries were intolerable behaviour at this time.

In his defence he had demonstrated and expressed true remorse, and the collapse of his emotional health contributed to this offending.

Judge Murfitt sentenced him to 18 months' prison with special release conditions that he be assessed, and complete programmes or counselling as recommended by his probation officer.

- NZPA