Wed-locked up! Burglar skipped his bail to get married
I'm afraid he is going to have to stay where he is
Michael Brown, of Exeter, ignored his bail conditions to get hitched in Jamaica just four days before he was set to be sentenced for breaking into student lodging in his home city.
Brown, 48, handed himself into police after he got back from his honeymoon this week and has been remanded in custody until he is sentenced later this month.
Brown, of Exeter, Devon, admitted burglary. He has a lengthy criminal record in which he has repeatedly failed to answer bail in the past.
Mr Rupert Taylor, defending, told Judge Francis Gilbert at Exeter Crown Court yesterday that his client had just returned from his honeymoon.
He said: "He accepts he did not come to court as he should have done on December 19 but he had gone to get married. His wife arranged the wedding and he did not want to disappoint her.
"He attended the wedding and the honeymoon and then returned and handed himself into Heavitree Road police station.
"He is due to be sentenced for burglary with intent to steal. He was found in the communal area of a multi occupancy student dwelling."
Mr Taylor asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre sentence report and said his client failed to attend a previous appointment with the probation service because he fell off his bicycle on the way to the meeting.
Judge Gilbert noted Brown's 25 year history of bail act offences and remanded him in custody.
He said: "I'm afraid he is going to have to stay where he is."
