A burglar was sentenced this week - two years after he stole seven chainsaws in a night-time raid on a shop.
Ben Pearsall, 27, Desford Way, Ashford, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Monday.
Prosecutor Mark Robinson told the court that fragments of glass on the defendant’s clothes had linked him to the break-in at AMP Services in Hove, but there had been difficulties getting the forensic evidence to prove the link.
Pearsall had denied the charge, he said, but pleaded guilty after the forensic evidence was confirmed.
The court was told that he had 15 previous convictions for 18 offences, three of them for burglary
Judge Guy Anthony told him: “It’s only because this offence is two years old that I’m not going to pass a sentence of custody today.”
He gave Pearsall a nine month sentence, suspended for two years, with a 200 hour unpaid work order.