The youngster bravely confronted Robert Harvey before seeking help from his parents An 11-year-old boy was shocked to find a stranger munching on a packet of crisps in his bedroom, a court heard. Robert Harvey, 34, “stumbled into” the child’s family home in a drunken haze, wandering from room to room within the property. When challenged, the intruder began to nonsensically babble “about the toilet seat being grey”. He eventually left the premises after nicking four packets of crisps, cigarettes, and £10 in cash, but later broke down in tears, having sobered up following his arrest. Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday (November 20) that the boy was asleep at the house in Rock Ferry, Wirral, Merseyside, at around 3am on October 22 this year but woke up to find Harvey in his room with a packet of crisps in his hands. Initially pretending to be asleep and sending a message to the family group chat to raise the alarm, he then saw the burglar entering the bedrooms of two of his sisters, although neither of the girls stirred. Matthew Dixon, prosecuting, described how the brave youngster told Harvey to “wait there”, before dashing to his mum’s room to alert her. She subsequently found the defendant at the bottom of the stairs, while the father of one of her five children confronted him and demanded an explanation for his presence in the house. However, Harvey responded by “mumbling something about the toilet seat being grey”, which led the mother and father to “form the impression that the defendant was on drugs”. After they “tried to usher him out of the property”, he “left of his own volition” and walked away, reports the Liverpool Echo. The mum later found that £10 had gone missing from her purse, along with a packet of cigarettes, whilst various snack foods had been opened and scattered throughout the kitchen. Harvey was detained shortly afterwards in the vicinity, carrying four bags of crisps, the cigarettes, and two £10 notes. During questioning later that day, he made “full and frank admissions” and “acknowledged that he was intoxicated”. While Mr Dixon noted that the offender had “in many way stumbled into the property”, he added: “The effect this will have on a child will be profound and long lasting.” Harvey has amassed a total of 44 previous convictions for 61 offences, the court heard. He has subsequently been recalled to prison on licence, having received a 28-month sentence for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply in May 2023 and a consecutive six-month term for similar matters in January this year. Suzanne Payne, mitigating, informed the court that her client had recently been diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder, stating: “Since his release on the 22nd of October last year, he had been complying and did comply with his probation officer. He had a positive attitude to change his life around. “The difference on this occasion was that he had a job. He was working and enjoying working. In relation to this offence, he cannot assist the court how he came to be in that house. He just does not know. Whatever he had drunk or taken that night, he does not know. “When one looks at his previous convictions, he has a lot of acquisitive crime, but it is shoplifting. There is nothing of this nature. He has struggled over the years with drug addiction. He is open about that. “He was very tearful throughout the interview and kept repeating how he could not forgive himself. He accepted full responsibility for his actions and still does. He did not mean to cause anybody harm or distress. “What was being said to him about the offence was making him feel sick. He acknowledged how scared the children would have felt. He is ashamed of being in that house and the impact it will have had on the children. “That is not how he was brought up. He is ashamed and distraught. Since his recall, he has started education within the prison environment. Since he has been in custody, he has had no negative reports at all and it appears that he is making good use of his time.” Harvey, of Conway Street, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary. Sentencing, Recorder Anna Price said: “Just before 3am, [the boy] woke up to see you in his bedroom. He was understandably scared. He pretended to be asleep. He was able to text the family group chat and ask who was downstairs. “You started mumbling. You were not making any sense. [The dad] was, not surprisingly, panicking. They did not know what you were capable of. You were not confrontational, but you appeared to be confused and, initially, refused to leave. However, you did eventually go and the police were called. “This must have been a terrifying experience for that family, who woke up to find a strange man in their house in the early hours of the morning. While I accept that this particular type of offence was out of character, you have a long history of appearing before the courts for offences of dishonesty and breaches of court orders. “I accept that you are genuinely remorseful for your actions and that you understand the impact of your offending. It is clear that you are taking steps in custody to rehabilitate yourself.”.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/burglar-eating-crisps-scared-child-36284007
Boy, 11, wakes up to find creepy burglar eating crisps in his bedroom
