Revealed: Face of cocaine-fuelled burglar jailed for terrorising residents of hamlet
This is the face of a cocaine-frenzied burglar who caused "unimaginable distress" to residents of a small hamlet - and continued his rampage even after being confronted by a homeowner armed with a shotgun.
Mark Everitt, aged 41 and of HMP Onley, has been jailed for seven years after admitting a series of burglaries and robberies that left residents of Hampton Loade, near Bridgnorth, fearing for their lives during a night-time crime spree.
Everitt was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday (October 6) after pleading guilty to burglary, three counts of attempted burglary, and two counts of robbery.
The court heard that Everitt had earlier crashed his car, and had drunk vodka and taken a significant amount of cocaine before beginning his crime spree.
At around 11.30pm on September 3 last year, he broke into a home in Hampton Loade, letting himself in through a patio door. Once inside, he was heard shouting, "van key, van keys, where are the van keys?" as he rifled through drawers and cupboards in the kitchen.
He was disturbed by the homeowner, whom he threatened with a pair of scissors taken from a kitchen drawer. Her husband, alerted by the commotion, came to investigate - only to be confronted and threatened as well. Everitt left the house empty-handed, and the couple called 999.
Minutes later, Everitt targeted a neighbouring property, forcing his way into a utility room and arming himself with a shovel. He stole a BB handgun and a drink can before putting a brick through a window in an attempt to enter the main house.
The court heard that the startled homeowner, fearing for his family, retrieved a 12-bore shotgun from a gun cabinet and loaded two cartridges. When Everitt appeared at the front door, the man confronted him - prompting the intruder to flee once again.
By this time, the couple from the first break-in had alerted neighbours, one of whom went to check his own property - only to find Everitt outside wielding the shovel. Everitt again tried to gain entry before fleeing the scene.
Multiple 999 calls were made by terrified residents, and police officers quickly arrived at the cul-de-sac, where Everitt was found and arrested.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Sergeant Ben Docherty, from Shropshire’s Serious Acquisitive Crime Team, said: "We welcome the sentence that has been handed to Everitt. I have no doubt that his actions that night caused unimaginable distress to the residents of Hampton Loade, and I would like to thank them for their cooperation throughout this investigation.
"I hope this sentence sends a strong message to those who think it is acceptable to break into someone's property and threaten them, that it will be taken seriously by police. We will do our utmost to put those individuals before the courts and get victims justice."
