Raiders caught red-handed breaking into a former Wigan primary school

A patrol had been alerted to the break-in at the one-time Shevington Community Primary buildings on Miles Lane, when they triggered an alarm at 9.40pm on Monday January 2.

It is suspected that 37-year-old Jason Kelly, of Beech Hill Lane, Beech Hill, and 50-year-old Jonathon Cadman of Rose Street, Ince, had been scavenging for scrap metal.

Wigan Council recently approved plans to demolish the premises and replace them with an extra care facility for over-55s.

Appearing before Manchester and Salford magistrates, both defendants pleaded guilty to burglary at the first opportunity and Cadman was immediately sentenced. He was given a 12-month community order, including an alcohol rehabilitation requirement, supervision and completing 15 days of rehabilitation activities. He must also pay £259 in costs, a victim surcharge and a fine.

Kelly will appear next at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on February 8 for sentencing, before which he has been released on bail.

Police say there has been a large spate of break-ins and attempted break-ins at houses and sheds in the Shevington and Standish Lower Ground areas since the beginning of the year, nine of them taking place on January 1 and 2 alone.

Anyone with information about those incidents should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.