Shotgun-wielding homeowner chased off cocaine-frenzied burglar who terrorised string of neighbours
A cocaine-frenzied burglar who terrorised residents in a rural hamlet persisted even after being confronted by a homeowner wielding a loaded 12-bore shotgun, a court heard.
Mark Everitt, aged 41, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to four charges, all related to the same shocking incident.
Everitt, of HMP Onley, admitted attempted robbery, two counts of attempted burglary and one count of burglary.
Suzanne Francis, prosecuting, told the court that the terrifying incidents had taken place late on the evening of September 3 last year, in the isolated community of Hampton Loade, near Bridgnorth.
The court heard that Everitt had crashed his car, and had drunk vodka and taken a significant amount of cocaine.
Ms Francis said his first victims had been at home when Everitt burst into the kitchen, took scissors from a drawer and brandished them at a shocked woman while demanding the keys to a van parked outside.
She said Everitt had told her "I am not f***ing around" as he waved the scissors.
The court heard the terrified woman had called to her husband, who threw what was described as a "display fork" in Everitt's direction, causing him to flee.
As he ran, the scissors caught on the patio door and were left behind.
The court was played part of a panicked and distressing 999 call in which the woman could be heard pleading for police help.
The woman's husband called a neighbour to alert him to the incident, and the possibility that Everitt may strike at his property because he also owned a van.
Meanwhile Everitt went on to start searching another neighbouring property, where he took a shovel and a BB gun.
Then at around 11.44pm the defendant proceeded to try and break into the home by using a brick to smash a window.
Ms Francis said the startled homeowner was in fear for his family and went to his own gun cabinet, where he retrieved a 12-bore shotgun and loaded it with two cartridges.
The man confronted Everitt at the front door, who was shouting "give me the 'f***ing keys to the van".
