A man was jailed for two-and-a-half years today for handling a haul of goods stolen from Premiership footballer Lucas Leiva.
Raiders took more than 150 items from the 22-year-old’s home in Woolton, Merseyside, while he was playing for Liverpool at Anfield on November 4 last year.
The haul included football shirts from his debut, a bronze Olympic medal and boots embossed with his name, along with computers, electrical equipment and a collection of jewellery and handbags belonging to Leiva’s girlfriend.
Unemployed Steven Jones, 21, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court today after admitting his part in the burglary.
Jones, who has extensive form for offences of dishonesty, admitted handling stolen goods and driving while disqualified.
Geoff Fryar, prosecuting, said: "The complainant in this case is the Liverpool footballer Lucas Leiva.
"His premises were burgled while he, his partner and friends were away from the property.
"The complainant was playing at Anfield and his partner was watching him.
"His partner returned home first and found the premises had been burgled.
"A ladder was used to get into the house through the bathroom.
"An untidy search was made and a large quantity of property was stolen.
"In excess of 150 sports items and valuable pieces of jewellery and three computers were taken.
"A great deal of it was sporting memorabilia with great sentimental value, such as a bronze Olympic medal, and a variety of football shirts which were of particular value to the complainant because they commemorated his debut games for Liverpool."
Mr Fryar said police searched the two homes Jones shared with his grandparents in Deansburn Road, Tuebrook, and with his parents in Lowerson Crescent, Clubmoor.
In both properties and inside Jones’s Vauxhall Vectra were stashes of the Reds midfielder’s belongings.
Leiva, who has played for his native Brazil, and his girlfriend later identified their property at a police station.
Jones, who had previously served 16 months at a young offenders’ institution, told police he was simply minding the items for men he refused to name.
Jones refused to answer detectives' questions initially but later claimed his paymasters allowed him to keep a PlayStation from the raid and a pair of the star's boots.
His barrister, Vincent Dean, said of his client: "He admits he would be instrumental in trying to dispose of it.
"The defendant expresses regret to the victim of this offence and for the trauma it must have caused.
"He was fully aware from the nature of the property of the burglary but wasn’t involved in it."
But the judge, Brian Lewis, said he did not believe Jones was merely minding the stolen goods.
He told him: "You came into possession of the overwhelming bulk of the property taken from that house.
"In my view, you weren’t simply minding that property because the property was divided at three separate locations.
"I have to decide how close you were to the burglars and I come to the conclusion you were close to them.
"It is inevitable you knew where it had come from.
"You knew perfectly well a large amount of money could be made from selling the electrical and designer items.
"You have a bad record for offences involving dishonesty."
Jones was jailed for two years for handling stolen goods and six months for driving while disqualified, the sentences to run consecutively.
He was also banned from driving for two years.
In 2007, James Birch, 20, of Tuebrook, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for burgling the homes of ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, defender Daniel Agger, England star Peter Crouch and former Reds striker Florent Sinama Pongolle.
The crimes were part of a series of raids on the homes of Liverpool and Everton FC aces during the last two years.
In December 2007 Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s mansion was broken into when he was away on Champions League duty but his wife, Alex Curran, was home.
And the homes of the club’s goalkeeper, Pepe Reina, and Holland forward Dirk Kuyt have also been targeted.
Raiders took more than 150 items from the 22-year-old’s home in Woolton, Merseyside, while he was playing for Liverpool at Anfield on November 4 last year.
The haul included football shirts from his debut, a bronze Olympic medal and boots embossed with his name, along with computers, electrical equipment and a collection of jewellery and handbags belonging to Leiva’s girlfriend.
Unemployed Steven Jones, 21, was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court today after admitting his part in the burglary.
Jones, who has extensive form for offences of dishonesty, admitted handling stolen goods and driving while disqualified.
Geoff Fryar, prosecuting, said: "The complainant in this case is the Liverpool footballer Lucas Leiva.
"His premises were burgled while he, his partner and friends were away from the property.
"The complainant was playing at Anfield and his partner was watching him.
"His partner returned home first and found the premises had been burgled.
"A ladder was used to get into the house through the bathroom.
"An untidy search was made and a large quantity of property was stolen.
"In excess of 150 sports items and valuable pieces of jewellery and three computers were taken.
"A great deal of it was sporting memorabilia with great sentimental value, such as a bronze Olympic medal, and a variety of football shirts which were of particular value to the complainant because they commemorated his debut games for Liverpool."
Mr Fryar said police searched the two homes Jones shared with his grandparents in Deansburn Road, Tuebrook, and with his parents in Lowerson Crescent, Clubmoor.
In both properties and inside Jones’s Vauxhall Vectra were stashes of the Reds midfielder’s belongings.
Leiva, who has played for his native Brazil, and his girlfriend later identified their property at a police station.
Jones, who had previously served 16 months at a young offenders’ institution, told police he was simply minding the items for men he refused to name.
Jones refused to answer detectives' questions initially but later claimed his paymasters allowed him to keep a PlayStation from the raid and a pair of the star's boots.
His barrister, Vincent Dean, said of his client: "He admits he would be instrumental in trying to dispose of it.
"The defendant expresses regret to the victim of this offence and for the trauma it must have caused.
"He was fully aware from the nature of the property of the burglary but wasn’t involved in it."
But the judge, Brian Lewis, said he did not believe Jones was merely minding the stolen goods.
He told him: "You came into possession of the overwhelming bulk of the property taken from that house.
"In my view, you weren’t simply minding that property because the property was divided at three separate locations.
"I have to decide how close you were to the burglars and I come to the conclusion you were close to them.
"It is inevitable you knew where it had come from.
"You knew perfectly well a large amount of money could be made from selling the electrical and designer items.
"You have a bad record for offences involving dishonesty."
Jones was jailed for two years for handling stolen goods and six months for driving while disqualified, the sentences to run consecutively.
He was also banned from driving for two years.
In 2007, James Birch, 20, of Tuebrook, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for burgling the homes of ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, defender Daniel Agger, England star Peter Crouch and former Reds striker Florent Sinama Pongolle.
The crimes were part of a series of raids on the homes of Liverpool and Everton FC aces during the last two years.
In December 2007 Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s mansion was broken into when he was away on Champions League duty but his wife, Alex Curran, was home.
And the homes of the club’s goalkeeper, Pepe Reina, and Holland forward Dirk Kuyt have also been targeted.
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