2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Mark Naylor)
A drugged-up burglar raided three houses and a garage in a "determined spree" of random "opportunist" break-ins in a quiet village during the early hours of the same night. The worrying spate of "odd" burglaries shocked and upset the baffled local residents and the unsettling mystery was "frightening the living daylights out of these people". But the culprit, Lewis Armstrong-Doyle, was quickly identified by a family member after a Facebook post about the break-ins.
He missed "seemingly obvious items" to steal while stumbling about in the raided properties, Hull Crown Court heard. Armstrong-Doyle, 28, of Saxcourt, Orchard Park estate, Hull, admitted four offences of burglary with intent to steal, all committed in the Holderness village of Aldbrough in the early hours of November 9. Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that, at about 3.
23am, Armstrong-Doyle approached the front of a house in High Street, Aldbrough, and opened a garage before going to the rear of the property. "He was disturbed by the occupier of the house and ran away," said Miss Hobson. He had a face covering over his nose and mouth.
At 3.55am, a woman was woken by Armstrong-Doyle rustling around in the ground floor of the house, setting off a motion light. "She called the police, terrified," said Miss Hobson.
Armstrong-Doyle left without taking anything but he knocked over a sewing box. At 4am, he entered a house in Seaside Road but he was heard by the daughter and stepdaughter of the owner, who were sleeping downstairs. The daughter texted her mother, asking: "Who is that at the door?" Armstrong-Doyle was heard leaving by the front door as the mother went onto landing to go downstairs.
The woman later said: "The incident has scared both myself and my children. It also plays on my mind that a similar incident could occur again." Also early that morning, Armstrong-Doyle entered a house in Headlands Drive, Aldbrough, leaving footprints in a flower bed and entering through a window.
Items were moved but nothing was taken. Keep up to date with all the latest crime and court news from Hull with our free newsletter Details about the burglaries were put on a local Facebook page and Armstrong-Doyle was identified by his stepfather, who recognised him. He was arrested the same day.
During police interview, he denied any involvement, claiming that he had been at home asleep. He was living at the time with his mother in Aldbrough, the court heard. He later admitted the burglaries and said that he had been under the influence of drugs.
He denied taking anything from the houses. By carrying out the raids, he was "frightening the living daylights out of these people" in the village, the court heard. Armstrong-Doyle had convictions for nine previous offences, including two of possessing cocaine in 2019, and possessing heroin and crack cocaine in May 2021, when he was given a two-year suspended sentence.
He had convictions for driving while disqualified, failing to provide a sample for analysis and having no insurance in February 2022 and assaulting an emergency worker in 2022. Ben Hammersley, mitigating, said that there was clearly a degree of planning but Armstrong-Doyle was under the influence of drugs when he committed the "odd" burglaries. "It was a determined spree but opportunist," said Mr Hammersley.
"It was offending to fund his habit. Seemingly obvious items weren't taken." Armstrong-Doyle was now working full-time for a construction business and he had a two-year-old daughter.
"He is clear of all substances," said Mr Hammersley. "He is off everything – heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis. He has no intention of going back to that life whatsoever.
" Armstrong-Doyle was given a two-year suspended prison sentence and 20 days' rehabilitation. Don't miss a thing. Get all the latest breaking news in Hull straight to your mobile via WhatsApp by clicking here .
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