14 March 2024 , 10:47
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A thieving mum stole £2,000 of her neighbour's belongings and sold them to a pawn shop.
Carmela Giglia broke into a flat and stole the items from the elderly man. But the 37-year-old was seen on CCTV breaking into the property in Cheadle while the victim was away. Giglia knew he had a Ring camera inside and 'threw it in a skip' so her callous crime would go undetected.
The Crown Court heard she took more than £2,000 worth of items from his home including a TV, a vacuum cleaner, an Xbox and games, and an Alexa in the theft on July 15 last year. Giglia took the items to Cash Converters in Longton and sold them over the space of a couple of days.
Carmela Giglia was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (Stoke Sentinel/BPM Media)The court heard she was addicted to drugs at the time, StokeonTrentLive reports. Representing herself, Giglia told the court: “I’ve had a negative drug test since last year. I have lots of support from my family; my mum, my dad, my sister, and my kids, and I have my own accommodation.
“My kids’ dad stopped letting me have them and he stopped taking them to school, so I lost my head and went off the rails. I’m sincerely apologetic to [the victim], and I would say sorry if I could but I can’t because I’m on bail. I wouldn’t do it again if I could turn back time. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
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Prosecutor Antony Longworth said Giglia, who now lives in Crewe, had pleaded guilty to burglary and failing to attend a drugs test on July 25 - just over a week after her arrest on July 17. Judge Graeme Smith sentenced the defendant to 16 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He told Giglia: “This offence was particularly serious because it was your neighbour, and you quite clearly knew him. You were filmed and clearly committed the offence. You took his property of significant value.
“This was a B1 burglary that could be two years custody. Your other convictions are old and not relevant. You are at low risk of reoffending. The probation service report states you could be rehabilitated.
“You have made significant changes with your family and you are not taking drugs. Your sentence is suspended for 12 months, and if you commit any more crimes then you will be breaching the suspension.”
Giglia was also ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation requirement days and pay a £250 fine.