A burglar tried breaking into a home in Banbury eight days after he was given a suspended prison sentence for breaking into another property.

Bill Mobey, now 24, was spared an immediate prison sentence last year. He was part of a group that broke into an outhouse in Souldern and stole nail guns, batteries, cable and piping.

Within barely a week of that sentence being imposed, he was responsible for breaking into a house in Bath Road, Banbury, on May 4.

Mobey, of Wimborne Avenue, Banbury, was found guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court in January of burglary.

He appeared before the crown court on Thursday (March 2) for sentence.

Recorder John Bate-Williams told the defendant that, when he prepared the case, he was ‘of the provisional view’ that he should activate the suspended prison sentence and send him to jail.

But character references written by Mobey’s mother and partner spoke of mental health difficulties. It was for this reason, the judge said, he would adjourn for the preparation of pre-sentence reports by the probation service.

He suggested to Mobey’s advocate, Angela Porter, that the solicitors also obtain references from their client’s GP.

Recorder Bate-Williams warned the defendant: “You need to understand that although I am going to adjourn this matter for a pre-sentence report to be obtained, I don’t give you any undertaking at all as to what the eventual sentence will be.”

Mobey will be sentenced at the end of March.