A burglar who claimed he smashed a homeowner’s window and stole his car keys because he was refused cannabis has been told by top judges he deserves every day of his jail term.
Nathan Ashley Andersen said he kicked a door and broke a window before holding the keys as ‘ransom’ after the man would not sell him the drug.
The 29-year-old, of no fixed address, was jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court in June after admitting burglary.
He challenged his sentence at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, with his lawyers arguing it was ‘too long’.
But his appeal bid was rejected by three of the country’s most senior judges, who said his jail term ‘could not be criticised’.
The court heard Andersen went to the house in Thornaby shortly before 10pm on March 16.
While the victim was watching television he heard a dog barking and what he thought sounded like someone forcing his patio door open.
He ran upstairs to safety and rang police, returning back downstairs when the intruder had left.
The man saw a back window had been smashed by the culprit and there was blood on the back door.
The kitchen had been ransacked and a small cash tin was missing, along with his car keys.
Police arrived and found Andersen nearby, but he climbed a drainpipe and scrambled over rooftops to escape.
Officers discovered the keys nearby.
Read more: Burglar claimed he stole keys to Thornaby man's home as 'ransom' to buy cannabis
When arrested, Andersen claimed he had gone to the house to buy cannabis but, when the homeowner refused to sell it to him, they rowed and he smashed the window.
He claimed he had taken the keys in a bid to force the man to sell him the drug.
He told the seriously ill householder: “Give me the green or you’re not getting your keys back.”
The victim, who had a previous conviction for possessing cannabis with intent to supply, was not well enough to come to court to give evidence so the prosecution accepted Andersen’s version of events.
He broke into the house just over a month after being released from prison and he had a record of previous convictions including two knifepoint robberies.
His lawyers argued his jail term was over the top, saying the crown court judge didn’t take enough account of the fact his version of what happened was accepted by prosecutors.
But, dismissing his appeal, Mr Justice Flaux said the offence was serious, even by his own admission.
Sitting with Lord Justice Fulford and Mr Justice Walker, he added: “He deliberately smashed the window of the house and took the car keys.
“He had an appalling record of previous convictions for dishonesty.
“In our judgment, this sentence cannot be criticised.”
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