St Leonards burglar jailed for six years

Prolific burglar Adam Persad has been jailed for six years.

Persad, 60, of Beaufort Road, St Leonards, was found guilty of burgling three homes in the town in July last year, stealing a watch, cash and bank cards, which he later used.  

One resident woke to find him in her kitchen and needed hospital treatment when he injured her arm as he moved her out of the way to leave. She later found her handbag had been stolen.

Persad pleaded not guilty to the burglary charges but pleaded guilty to theft of a jacket from a business premises, fraud and possession of cannabis during a trial in January and was sentenced for all offences when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 3 March.

Detective Constable Billy McLaren said: “He was an opportunist, who took advantage of people’s trust to steal their cash and bank cards.”