Apr 11 - Man Jailed For Spate Of Attempted Burglaries
A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to nine months in jail after carrying out a spate of attempted burglaries.
Christopher Wink was first spotted on CCTV trying to break into cars in Rodger’s Road in August last year. He was again arrested following an attempted burglary in December last year, where he tried to break into someone’s house by trying to enter the property via a bathroom window in Prince Edward’s Road in the early hours of the morning.
Following that incident, he was spotted on CCTV in Admiral Casino in Ocean Village where he was observed climbing into the space above the ceiling, resulting in extensive damage being caused after he fell through the fiberglass panels and onto the games room on the ground floor.
In January this year, Wink was caught trying to enter a bedroom window by a resident in Naval Hospital Road, after having stolen £150 worth of items from one neighbouring flat, and confectionary items from another. He fled the scene and was arrested by Royal Gibraltar Police officers. They seized his mobile phone and also found he was in possession of ammunition after going through his phone.
In January this year, Wink was also arrested after he was spotted loitering around in Laguna Estate. He was reported to the police after tampering with a motor vehicle and a chase ensued, after which he was arrested outside Notre Dame First School.
Wink’s lawyer, Patrick Canessa, argued the ammunition didn’t belong to his client, but were “spoils” from a previous burglary, saying the police are investigating where the ammunition came from but have yet to receive a report regarding that burglary incident.
In addition, Mr Canessa said the pre-sentence report showed a chequered background, adding that his client was destitute after returning to Gibraltar and was stealing from cars and houses to sustain himself.
Stipendiary Magistrate Charles Pitto sentenced Wink to five months in prison for the first attempted burglary, and three months in prison for the burglary where items were stolen, and one month in prison for causing damage to the vehicles in Rodger’s Road, to be served consecutively. Wink was also sentenced to two months in prison for damage caused at the Casino, which will be served concurrently with the rest of the sentence, with no separate penalty for obstructing police officers and going equipped for a burglary, or for the ammunition found in his home.
Arun Aswani appeared for the Crown.
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