A professional burglar who left a family feeling scared and insecure has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

The sentence was imposed after a judge heard Andrew Bremner had failed to honour a promise to return the stolen property to his victims.

The 55-year-old, who has amassed 28 convictions for 66 offences over the years, broke into the home of Susan George in York Road, Dartford, on the afternoon of November 13 last year.

He climbed over a 6ft high fence before taking shears from a summer house and levering open a back window. Once inside, he searched drawers and jewellery boxes.

Two computers, an iPod and headphones worth a total of almost £2,000 were stolen.
Prosecutor Ian Foinette said the shears broke and Bremner’s DNA was recovered from the handle.

Bremner, of Leatherbottle Green, Erith, admitted burglary. He had several previous convictions for burglary and has served long prison sentences.

"He was not taking his medication and he allowed his old criminal judgement to take over..." - Stephen Bailey

Stephen Bailey, defending, was granted an adjournment earlier this month after Bremner indicated the computers and headphones were “in safe hands” and he could arrange for them to be handed to the police.

But Mr Bailey said on Friday the property had not been recovered because Bremner had not been able to get access to a phone at Elmley Prison, Sheppey, where he was on remand.

Mr Bailey said of the offence: "He was not taking his medication and he allowed his old criminal judgement to take over. He is bitterly angry with himself."

Bremner, he added, was a talented artist who had contributed to local arts projects.

Passing sentence, Judge Martin Joy said: "Quite plainly there is a traumatic effect on the victims. They have spent a large amount of money on safeguarding their house with security."

The family had moved to Dartford from a high crime area in London.

"We thought we would be safer in Kent but we were proved wrong," Mrs George said in a statement. "We have installed a high tech security system and insurance has increased."

Judge Joy continued: "The defendant is a professional burglar. He has committed a long list of burglaries. He is saying he could have got the property back but he is not going to cooperate.

"So there is no mitigation there. The reality is this was a despicable offence, as all burglary is."