A GROUP of teenagers opened a window when visiting a young woman's home so they could go back and burgle the house when she was out.
One of the burglars, Josh Brassington, whose footprint was found at the Oakwood house, has now been sentenced to eight months in a young offenders' institution.
A 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a community order in the youth court. There was not enough evidence to charge anyone else, Derby Crown Court heard.
Brassington, of Mapleton Avenue, Chaddesden, admitted burglary on November 21.
Sentencing the 18-year-old, Judge Jonathan Gosling said: "This is a mean offence. You had been to this young lady's house earlier that night – she didn't really want you there – and you and your friends planned to go back when you had the opportunity as you knew she was going out."
Jonathan Dunne, prosecuting, said Brassington and some other youths had arrived at the 19-year-old's home earlier that evening, which she had not felt very comfortable with but did not know what do about it.
"The young men then leave and she closes the door and front windows and leaves with a friend," said Mr Dunne.
"They drive away and they can see that some of the boys who visited are still outside. When she comes back the first thing she sees is the 16-year-old running away, so they follow him to try to catch him but cannot and go back to the house."
The court heard that the young woman found the front window had been smashed. Inside the house a wooden television stand had been broken. Two mobile phones had been stolen.
On November 27, Brassington was arrested for an offence of handling stolen goods and at that stage denied any involvement in the burglary.
Mr Dunne said when the footprint evidence was put to him, Brassington accepted that he was one of the group that went in the house.
Mr Dunne said: "He said when they were there the first time, they opened the window so they could get back in when she left."
The court heard that Brassington had been sentenced to four months in a young offenders institution last month for common assault and two offences of stealing alcohol. His latest eight-month sentence will start on August 17, when he is due to be released from the other sentence.
