Repeat burglar given jail sentence

A man has been jailed after pleading guilty to a burglary in Upper Minety.

William Gifford, 39, of Upper Minety, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court last Thursday (10/08).

On August 8, Gifford was sighted leaving the outbuilding of a property in Upper Minety, from which alcohol and food were discovered missing.

He was swiftly located and arrested, and food and bottles of champagne matching those stolen were located in his property and seized.

Gifford was charged with burglary of a non-dwelling building, and was remanded in custody to appear in court the following morning.

Gifford then pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was given a sentence of 18 weeks, while a suspended sentence of 14-weeks for a similar offence in December 2022 was also activated, giving a total sentence of 32 weeks.

Acting Detective Inspector Steve Edwards said: “Gifford is a repeat offender and I’m pleased that he has now been given a prison sentence, during which he can hopefully reflect on his crimes.

“We take all burglaries very seriously, no matter the manner of them or the items taken, as they are incredibly invasive and affect a person’s sense of security and peace in their own home.

“Wiltshire Police has recently set up a new Burglary team which is dedicated to ensuring people can feel safe in their home and that burglars are brought to justice.”