Bungling burglar who left blood at scene after breaking into Royal British Legion club given suspended sentence

Peter Storer, of Fenside Road, Warboys, targeted the Royal British Legion in Cricket Field Lane, which was shut at the time, at about 8pm on 11 October.

The 51-year-old stole scratch cards, food and alcohol worth more than £1700. He forced multiple doors open, damaged two fruit machines, and prised open a scratch card machine.

However, he cut himself on the club’s pool table and left a blood smear on a sheet of paper used to record bar tabs.

Storer, who has previous convictions for burglary and other similar offences, was linked to the crime via his DNA and also caught on CCTV.

He was arrested at his home on 24 November and, in police interview, admitted the offence and stated he was “desperate”.

Storer was charged and released on bail and pleaded guilty to burglary at Peterborough Crown Court on 10 February.

PC Alan Stanford said: “Thanks to the vital work of our forensics teams we were able to place Storer at the scene and link him to the crime, simply by him moving a piece of paper.

“Burglary can have a devastating impact on victims, whether businesses or homeowners, which is why tackling it is one of our priorities. We are working hard every day to bring offenders before the courts.”

Storer was sentenced at the same court on Thursday (8 April) where he was handed two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to the Royal British Legion for the damage. A bungling burglar who broke into a Ramsey social club was linked to the crime after cutting himself at the scene and being caught on camera.