Sweet justice as raider gets 4 years inside

A sweet-toothed criminal who helped himself to boxes of lollies during one raid was jailed for a total of four years.

Aaron Ainsley (26) also broke into two houses and stole a £35,000 BMW in his latest crime spree.

Ainsley swiped £100 worth of confectionery and small toys destined for vending machines from Midland Vending Supplies in Failsworth.

The vending machine business owner was “struggling to make ends meet” and had to turn away orders after up to £15,000 of stock was stolen over a weekend in August last year.

The thief was arrested after CCTV footage showed a man exiting the building on crutches.

Ainsley claimed he only entered the premises after it had already been burgled and told police: ‘I don’t do burglaries for lollies.’

Simone Flynn, prosecuting, said: “He was arrested on October 28 and accepted he had entered the premises but said they had already been burgled by other local youths.”

Ainsley also admitted to two home burglaries in which he stole cash, mobile phones and two cars — one a BMW worth £35,000, which is yet to be recovered.

Judge Peter Lakin said: “The two offences of domestic burglary to which you pleaded guilty are particularly serious involving breaking into houses at night and the theft of cars.

“At the time you were on bail and on licence.”

Ainsley, of Hadlow Close, Miles Platting, admitted one commercial burglary, two domestic burglaries, two counts of vehicle theft and driving without a licence or insurance.

He has a criminal record dating back to 2000 and has spent around seven and a half years in prison since the age of 16.

Ainsley also received eight penalty points on his driving licence.