Club raider jailed for two years

A BURGLAR who targeted two social clubs near Warrington has been jailed for two years.
Thomas Sweeney, 41, was jailed at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to burglaries at Winwick Leisure Centre and Culcheth Sports and Social Club last year.
The court was told that on March 28 last year, Sweeney entered the offices at Winwick Leisure Centre and stole a laptop and a projector.
Just days later, on March 31, he broke into Culcheth Sports Club on Charnock Road in Culcheth and attacked the gaming machines inside the premises to steal cash. Following an in depth investigation by police, Sweeney, from Huyton, was arrested and charged with the offences.
After the hearing, Inspector Dave Griffiths who heads up Warrington West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Crimes such as this can have a profound impact upon rural villages, where the backbone of the community is often focused around local social clubs and community events.
“The financial effects of crime upon small locally funded organisations, like these, can put their very existence at risk.
“Sweeney targeted these establishments because he thought he would not be caught. The work of my officers in identifying him as a suspect, completing a thorough investigation into his movements, and putting him before the courts, is indicative of the professionalism and dedication of our team.
“This conviction is further proof of our determination to catch these people, and to reduce burglary offences in our area”