Watford man given 23 month community order for boat burglary (From Watford Observer)

Kit Green of Bridgewater Basin, Cassio Bridge, Watford given community order for boat burglary

2:00pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in News By Frazer Ansell

A boat dweller, who broke into two houseboats of his neighbours on the Grand Union Canal in Rickmansworth, has been given a 23 month community order.

Kit Green, 28, broke into the boats last May, taking property and causing damage.

He lived nearby on a boat belonging to his mother.

St Albans Crown Court heard that when he broke into one of the houseboats, he left behind a trace of his own blood after cutting himself.

From it, police were able to extract a sample of DNA which linked Green to the break-in.

When police interviewed him about their findings and asked him how the blood had come to be on board the boat, he replied "I don't know, a miracle maybe."

Yesterday (Friday) Green, whose address was given as Bridgewater Basin, Cassio Bridge, Watford, pleaded guilty to two offences of burglary.

He also admitted possessing a small amount of cannabis that police found when they arrested him.

Anne Evans, prosecuting, told the court that two boats called Angelus and Wildest Dream were broken into between May 10 and 13 last year.

The boats were at Cassiobury Farm, Rousebarn Lane, Rickmansworth.

Property worth £1,000 was taken from Angelus, including kitchen equipment.

From Wildest Dream, property worth more than £2,000 was taken, including a chainsaw, a grill and some alcohol.

It was while investigating the break-ins that police discovered the blood on board one of the boats, which was to lead to Green being identified.

The court heard that Green was living with his mum at the time and in a low mood because of being unemployed and having been drinking.

Judge Steven Gullick sentenced him to a 12 month community order with six months supervision. He was fined £50 for possessing the small amount of cannabis.

He was also ordered to pay compensation to the two owners of the boats he burgled totalling £2,500.

In addition, he was ordered to pay £350 costs to the prosecution.