Burglar wins cut in jail term

One of a gang of burglars failed for a break-in at an Oldham business centre has had his jail term cut on appeal.

Bernard Ward, who committed the raid as part of a range of offences last year, was arrested after forensics showed he had picked up mud from the scene of the crime.

The 40 year old, of Gaskell Rise, Sholver, was jailed for four years at Manchester Crown Court in January after admitting two counts of burglary, one of possessing a knife and one of theft.

On Friday his term was reduced to three years by judges at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

The court heard Ward committed a string of offences last year, with the most serious being a burglary at Acorn Business Centre, Oldham.

He and others raided Discount Plastics and one - not Ward - threatened a security guard with a knife.

He also committed a burglary at a newsagent shop, After getting an accomplice to distract the owner he stole £100 from the till.

Allowing his appeal, Mr Justice Bean, sitting with Judge Anthony Russell QC, said that while he could not complain about some aspects of his sentence, the term for the distraction burglary in the shop was too long.