Man who wanted a kebab at 5am broke into chip shop and raided the fridge
Craig Scott was found cowering behind the counter
A man clambered into a Cardiff takeaway in an early-hours break-in because he "wanted a kebab". Police found Craig Scott, 38, crouching behind the counter having taken some curry and chicken nuggets out of the fridge.
Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard he had entered the Zero Plus chip shop in Cowbridge Road East, Canton, at 5.55am on February 13 last year through an unlocked bathroom window. Prosecutor Carrie Winter said: "There is a flat above the takeaway and the resident upstairs made a report to police.
"When officers attended the defendant was still downstairs. Nothing had been taken but six packs of chicken curry and some chicken nuggets had been moved from the fridge to the counter."
Scott, of Clos y Faenor in Fairwater, admitted the burglary. He had 35 previous offences on his record including three thefts. His solicitor Oliver Jenkins questioned why it had taken so long for Scott to be charged with the burglary.
He pointed out that the crime predated a "far more serious" burglary from last October, for which his client was sentenced to a 22-month jail term in January. Not mentioned during the court hearing was the fact that the second burglary took place at the same address as the first. After speaking to Zero Plus we learned the second break-in involved Scott targeting the flat above the takeaway for electronics, clothes, jewellery, aftershaves and bank cards. He was arrested after the tenant of the flat caught him in the act, a Zero Plus employee told WalesOnline.
Speaking about the length of time taken to prosecute Scott for the first burglary, Mr Jenkins said: "There's no reason for the delay. He's arrested at the scene, he's placed on bail, then last April he gets released under investigation. It's inexplicable to me that it takes another 12 months later to bring him before the courts.
"It was a period of his life when he was struggling with alcoholism. He just wanted a kebab, and the evidence supports that, because nothing is stolen. The only items moved are ingredients. There was no violence or threat."
He added that alcohol was at the root of all his client's offending but that he had been working with addiction support services while in prison. Scott is set for an early release in July and will have an alcohol monitoring tag fitted. His goal is to regain contact with his children, said Mr Jenkins.
Deputy District Judge Paul Conlon took into account that if Scott had been charged earlier he would likely have received a sentence concurrent to the more serious burglary. "The offence would not have made any difference to the 22-month sentence you had in Newport Crown Court," he said.
"Therefore, I'll impose a four-week sentence — which would have been six if you had pleaded not guilty — and it will run alongside your current sentence. That means there will be no further term of imprisonment."
Court records confirmed the information we received from Zero Plus about the second burglary, which took place on October 15. An employee of the business — recently named one of the best chippies in the UK — said: "He didn't go into the shop the second time, just the flat. He got caught by the guy living there."
He added: "There have been a few incidents along Cowbridge Road East recently. Another takeaway has been broken into twice in the last few months."
Scott must pay a £154 victim services surcharge on his release from prison. You can read more of the latest court news from across Wales here.