Robert Harvey ‘stumbled into’ the Wirral family home in an intoxicated stupor before making his way from room to room within the property. A boy woke up to find the creep eating crisps in his bedroom
An 11-year-old lad was shocked to wake up and find a stranger munching on a packet of crisps in his bedroom. Robert Harvey, in a drunken daze, “stumbled into” the family home and began wandering from room to room.
When challenged, the intruder started babbling “about the toilet seat being grey”. He eventually left the property, swiping four packets of crisps, cigarettes and a tenner, but later broke down crying after sobering up and being arrested, the court heard.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday afternoon that the young boy was asleep at his Rock Ferry, Wirral home around 3am on October 22 this year when he woke up to find Harvey in his room, crisps in hand. Pretending to be asleep initially, the lad sent a message to the family group chat to sound the alarm, before witnessing the burglar enter his sisters’ bedroom, although neither of the girls stirred.
Prosecutor Matthew Dixon detailed how the brave youngster told Harvey, of Conway Street in Birkenhead, to “wait there” before bolting to his mum’s room to alert her. She then found the 34-year-old at the bottom of the stairs, while the father of one of her five children confronted him, demanding an explanation for his presence in the house.
However, Harvey responded by “mumbling something about the toilet seat being grey”, causing the mother and father to “form the impression that the defendant was on drugs”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
After they had “tried to usher him out of the property”, he then “left of his own volition” and wandered off.
The mum subsequently found that £10 had vanished from her purse, with a packet of cigarettes also having been nicked and various snack foods having been ripped open and left scattered across the kitchen.
Harvey was nabbed shortly afterwards in the vicinity, carrying four bags of crisps, the cigarettes and two £10 notes.
During questioning later that day, he made “full and frank admissions” and “acknowledged that he was intoxicated”.
Whilst Mr Dixon noted that the offender had “in many way stumbled into the property”, he added: “The effect this will have on a child will be profound and long lasting.”
Harvey boasts a total of 44 previous convictions for 61 offences.
He has since been recalled to prison on licence, having been slapped with a 28-month sentence for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply in May 2023 and a consecutive six-month term for similar matters in January this year.
Suzanne Payne, defending, told the court that her client had recently been diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder, adding: “Since his release on the 22nd of October last year, he had been complying and did comply with his probation officer. He had a positive attitude to change his life around.
“The difference on this occasion was that he had a job. He was working and enjoying working. In relation to this offence, he cannot assist the court how he came to be in that house. He just does not know. Whatever he had drunk or taken that night, he does not know.
“When one looks at his previous convictions, he has a lot of acquisitive crime, but it is shoplifting. There is nothing of this nature. He has struggled over the years with drug addiction. He is open about that.
“He was very tearful throughout the interview and kept repeating how he could not forgive himself. He accepted full responsibility for his actions and still does. He did not mean to cause anybody harm or distress.
“What was being said to him about the offence was making him feel sick. He acknowledged how scared the children would have felt. He is ashamed of being in that house and the impact it will have had on the children.
“That is not how he was brought up. He is ashamed and distraught. Since his recall, he has started education within the prison environment. Since he has been in custody, he has had no negative reports at all and it appears that he is making good use of his time.”
Harvey pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.
Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool dressed in a grey Nike T-shirt and with short brown hair, he was sentenced to 14 months behind bars. During sentencing, Recorder Anna Price stated: “Just before 3am, [the boy] woke up to see you in his bedroom. He was understandably scared. He pretended to be asleep. He was able to text the family group chat and ask who was downstairs.”
She continued: “You started mumbling. You were not making any sense. [The dad] was, not surprisingly, panicking. They did not know what you were capable of. You were not confrontational, but you appeared to be confused and, initially, refused to leave. However, you did eventually go and the police were called.”
The judge added: “This must have been a terrifying experience for that family, who woke up to find a strange man in their house in the early hours of the morning. While I accept that this particular type of offence was out of character, you have a long history of appearing before the courts for offences of dishonesty and breaches of court orders.”
She concluded: “I accept that you are genuinely remorseful for your actions and that you understand the impact of your offending. It is clear that you are taking steps in custody to rehabilitate yourself.”