A group of burglars believed they had discovered the ideal accomplice – a dwarf capable of squeezing into abandoned homes through the tiniest of openings.
However, they failed to anticipate that Lee Kildare would become intoxicated while orchestrating their scrap metal operation.
As police responded to a disturbance at a residence in Newcastle, the 22-year-old carelessly stuck his head through a damaged panel in the front door.
‘He took advantage of the opening and was arrested. He was extremely intoxicated and mentioned that if the police had not arrived, he would have stolen the copper.
‘When questioned about the scrap metal scattered throughout the house, he couldn’t recall any details but suggested that he likely would have stolen that as well,’ prosecutor Fiona Varley informed magistrates in Newcastle.
Kildare, hailing from Walker, Newcastle, confessed to burglary and received a community order lasting 12 months.
He stated that local gangs manipulated him.
