Ellesmere Port: Brothers Michael and David Young jailed for five burglaries

David Young, 22, and Michael Young, 20, admitted breaking into five homes across Cheshire and Wirral over 10 days in January this year.

The brazen duo even returned to the scene of one break-in and used stolen keys to take a Mercedes car, which they then used as a getaway vehicle for the rest of their raids.

Chester Crown Court heard on Thursday (April 4) that the pair ransacked the homes, stealing jewellery and other valuables including “priceless” family war medals.

On one occasion, a terrified young woman heard one of the pair creeping up to her bedroom door and then laughing when he realised someone was at home.

Defence barrister Tony Rose said David Young “needed to get money quickly” as his wedding day had been approaching.

“Flawed thinking kicked in,” he said. “It was a desperate measure to take, in a situation where he was about to get married and had gambled away a substantial sum of money that was necessary within their culture to set up himself and his future wife in their married life.”

In front of their shocked family, Judge Patrick Thompson sentenced the pair to four and half years behind bars – David Young in prison and Michael Young at a young offenders institute.

He told the brothers: “You had no respect whatsoever for any of these people or their possessions.”

Judge Patrick Thompson.

Prosecutor Simon Duncan said the pair had first struck at a property on Queensway in Cheadle on Friday, January 18, smashing the rear patio window and ransacking the house.

A week later, on January 25, they returned to the same property to steal a Mercedes car – a move that left the family especially devastated.

In a victim impact statement, the homeowners said one of their young sons was so traumatised he was constantly looking out the window to check for burglars.

“It will take a long time for our family to recover,” they said.

The next day, January 26, they targeted a home on Lees Lane in Neston belonging to a couple aged 70 and 69.

They emptied all the cupboards and drawers, taking items including First World War dog tags belonging to the owner’s grandfather and his uncle’s World War Two medals.

Mr Duncan told the court these items were deemed “absolutely priceless” to their owners and have not been recovered.

In a statement, the owner said: “I have real difficulty coming to terms with this; I don’t think I ever will.”

The pair, who are said to be from the Ellesmere Port area, also needlessly ripped the man’s passport in half.

On the same day they went on to burgle a home on Raymond Way in Little Neston but found nothing to steal.

Two days later they targeted a house on Whitehouse Lane in Heswall, knocking on the door and calling out to see if anyone was home.

A young student, who lived with her parents, was home alone and in bed at 10.20am and chose to ignore the mystery callers.

She was then shocked to hear a man call out from inside the house and walk up to her bedroom door.

“She said ‘who is it?’,” Mr Duncan told the court. “She then heard the sound of laughter from a male who left quickly.”

The final burglary took place at Barkhill Road in Chester, at a property belonging to an elderly couple aged 84 and 89.

The owners were out but returned to find muddy footprints all over their home, which had been turned upside down.

One the footprints was later matched to David Young’s training shoe and mobile phone records linked the pair to the scenes of the crimes.

A witness had seen them swapping the number plates on the Mercedes and contacted the police. The car was found with a crowbar, gloves and other items in the boot.

Both defendants gave ‘no comment’ interviews when arrested but later entered guilty pleas. Neither have any previous convictions.

Mr Rose, defending David Young, said: “It’s clear that this has all come as a bit of a shock to him. He now realises the enormity of what he did and he is very remorseful.”

Ben Morris, for Michael Young, said these were “two young lads who had got themselves involved in something outside of what they would normally do”.

“They both hang their heads in shame,” he said. “Their family are horrified that their lovely young boys, who have never been in trouble before, are in this situation.”

None of the stolen valuables have been recovered.

* Following the sentencing hearing, Detective Constable Stuart Wood said: “Burglary is a serious crime in which people are targeted in their own home, the place that they should always be able to feel safe.

“In this case the majority of the victims were not at home when their homes were broken into.

“However, in the burglary in Barnston the brothers were disturbed by the victim’s teenage daughter, who was in bed when her home was targeted. She was understandably left distressed as a result of the ordeal.

“While none of the victims suffered any physical injuries, they will never be able to forget that their personal spaces have been invaded by this pair of heartless thieves, although I do hope that the sentences handed to the brothers will provide them with some closure.”

Detective Sergeant Graeme Carvell added: “This was a complex case which spanned a number of forces and I would like to thank all of the officers, staff and also members of the public who have been involved in the investigation.

“As a result of their dedication and commitment the Young brothers were left with no option but to plead guilty to the charges brought against them and are both now facing the consequences of their actions”