A burglar with a long record avoided jail after breaking into a Newcastle pub, which had been targeted multiple times.
Two masked men broke into the North Terrace pub around 4:30 a.m. on July 22nd. They forced entry by smashing a window. Security alerted the owner, who called police.
James Gamble and another man ransacked the pub, stealing liquor worth about £700 and causing about £300 in damages. Police recognized Gamble from CCTV footage.
The pub owner gave a statement to the court, saying the break-ins were hurting his business a lot. He often had to close because of the damage, and the boarded window looked unsafe. He worried his pub was now an easy target and spent money on security that did not help. The owner felt stressed and anxious, not knowing when the next break-in would occur.
Gamble, 51, had 230 past convictions, including 129 thefts and similar crimes. He received a sentence for other burglary soon after. He admitted to this burglary and received a community order, drug rehab, and a curfew.
The judge noted the pub was vulnerable, saying others had targeted it earlier and that the break-in had a bigger impact on the owner. Gamble had responded well to a prior sentence in 2020 and also spent over four months in custody.
His lawyer said Gamble felt very sorry, and that his life was damaged by addictions. He used crack cocaine and benzodiazepines daily but is now drug-free.