A burglar who broke into the home of an 80 year-old wheelchair user and absconded while on bail to steal from his own home has been jailed for four years.

Joshua Shane Trescowthick, 21, from Camborne, appeared at Truro Crown Court on Tuesday, November 1 after pleading guilty to five offences of burglary, attempted burglary and cannabis possession.

Having been originally arrested on suspicion of these offences, and while on bail, Trescowthick was further arrested and charged with taking without consent and driving offences and sent to prison.

He had been released from prison on September 29 to reside at Meneghy Bail Hostel but absconded and burgled his own family home in Troon. He was further arrested on suspicion of this burglary and charged with the four original offences.

In court Trescowthick pleaded guilty to all of the offences and asked for the burglary of his family home on September 29 also to be taken into account. He advised through his solicitor that he was committing crime to fund his addiction to cocaine and amphetamines.

Neighbourhood team leader Sergeant Gavin Barnes said: “We are very pleased that Joshua Trescowthick is now in custody, as it will bring a great sense of relief to the local communities that he blighted with his criminal activities.

“Leaving aside the financial value of items that he stole, there is also the very personal upset that people feel when their homes have been violated. We hope that his time behind bars will bring relief to his victims and the wider community, and that he will have time to reflect on his actions.

“One of Trescowthick’s victims was an 80-year-old person who could not get out of their wheelchair. Although this person fought back when Trescowthick entered his house, it is safe to say that it will have been a very disturbing and frightening experience for the victim”

“I am very proud of my colleagues who have worked tirelessly to piece together the evidence from a quite disparate but localised set of crimes, and to build a strong base of evidence for this conviction.”

He added: “Our community is a safer and happier place now Trescowthick is behind bars.”

Trescowthick was sentenced to four years in prison for the burglaries that were committed in July in the Pengegon and Beacon areas of Cornwall and on September 29 in Troon.