Upwell child left 'troubled' after break-in at her home

A heart-wrenching account of the mental effect a burglary at her Upwell home has had on a four- year-old girl has been heard in court.

King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court was told on Thursday that the youngster is troubled at school, afraid to be on her own for even a short amount of time and is scared to be in her bedroom.

Sammy Guy, of New Road, Wimbotsham, broke into the house by smashing her bedroom window while the family was out on December 18 last year.

He ransacked the place, leaving an extensive trail of blood everywhere as he stole a Thomas Sabo watch, a £400 Louis Vuitton pouch, £400 in cash and bank cards.

A victim personal statement from the girl’s mother said she had noticed a “considerable difference” in her daughter.

“She now comes into my bedroom in the middle of the night saying someone is tugging at her duvet.

“She knows that he smashed her bedroom window and climbed into her room. She’s been particularly jumpy since this happened.”

The mother described how a drawing - the first piece of work which her daughter had brought home from school – had come off a wall during the break-in and was ruined by being covered in blood.

She added: “Myself and my partner are trying to work through this with her. We’re completely changing her room in the hope that she will be happy in there again.”

She went on to say that the watch was of particularly sentimental value as it had been bought by her partner for her 18th birthday and is no longer made so cannot be replaced. She described how she had worn it every day but forgot to put it on on the day of the burglary and rued her decision not to go back for it when she noticed.

“I just really hoped that the person responsible would help me get the watch back,” she added.

Guy, who had no previous convictions, was convicted of burglary and theft in January and was back in court after preparation of a pre-sentence report.

In mitigation, solicitor Jason Stevens said the offence was “completely out of character” and came against the background of some personal issues, including witnessing the death of a young man – a case being heard at Norwich Crown Court currently, he added.

District Judge Julie Cooper asked Guy where the watch was.

“I chucked it,” he replied.

“Rubbish!,” said District Judge Cooper. Committing him to crown court for sentencing, she added: “I suggest you think very carefully about where you threw that watch before you get to crown court.”