Jamie Grimes stole 15 computers during an early hours break-in
20:42, 09 Jan 2025Updated 20:44, 09 Jan 2025
Jamie Grimes leaving Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A balaclava clad burglar broke into a primary school in the early hours but was caught by his tattoos and a trail of blood. Jamie Grimes stole 15 computers after smashing his way into the site, causing thousands of pounds of damage and losses.
He now says he “cannot come to terms with why” he targeted a school. But the drunken intruder breathed a sigh of relief as he was spared an immediate prison sentence today.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Thursday, that Grimes, of Queens Road in Everton, was caught on CCTV entering St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, off Boaler Street in Kensington, via a smashed ground floor window at around 2.30am on November 4 2023. Although he was wearing a balaclava at the time, the 34-year-old was identified by tattoos on his right hand and his blood being left on blinds at the “entry point”.
Sarah Egan, prosecuting, described how he was also joined by an accomplice, who was ultimately not identified. Security guards attended the scene roughly 15 minutes later after being alerted by an alarm, although the two burglars had by then “made good their escape”.
In the meantime, Grimes and his fellow offender had helped themselves to four HP laptops, 11 Chromebooks and bottles of sparkling water and “nosescco” – non-alcoholic prosecco – from a meeting room. He was subsequently arrested on New Year’s Day 2024, although none of the stolen goods were recovered during a search of his address.
His criminal record shows a total of 22 previous convictions for 34 offences, including a number of non-dwelling burglaries as a youth. John Rowan, defending, told the court Grimes had acted a carer to his grandma and served a four-month curfew while subject to police bail, adding: “There has been no offending since.
“This defendant is a man whose struggles are substance abuse, particularly with alcohol. Alcohol and his relationship with the same have resulted in the defendant coming before the court on numerous occasions for a variety of offences.
“He went to prison at the beginning of 2023 for offences involving weapons. He was released on licence in 2023, complying with that licence without issue.
“He spent a period in rehab as a result of alcohol use, missing the death of his grandfather while he was in that facility. Then, in November, he has been candid enough to say that there was a deterioration in his mental health. He started to drink. He was using cocaine.
“He is utterly and deeply embarrassed at that which he became involved in. He is candid that he did this under the influence of substances. He cannot come to terms with why he chose to enter a primary school and steal items which were clearly for the benefit of children, teachers and the community.
“He wants to offer his sincere apology to all of those affected by his selfish and mean behaviour. It appears that this has been an impulsive and reckless act on his behalf, clearly to make some gain for himself.
“To some extent, he is making significant progress in terms of his alcohol misuse. He sometimes resorts to the bottle, but he does not drink to the level it was back in 2023.”
Grimes admitted one count of burglary. Appearing in the dock wearing a pink Technicals t-shirt, he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days, a 90-day alcohol monitoring requirement and a 12-month mental health treatment requirement.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “You have pleaded guilty to committing a cowardly burglary at a primary school. A large number of laptops and Chromebooks, essential for teaching young people at that school, were stolen, no doubt for commercial gain.
“What became of them remains a mystery. Over £4,000 of damage and loss was occasioned as a result of your decision. You were equipped with a balaclava, in concert with another. This was a theft of high value equipment with some degree of planning.
“You have convictions for burglaries of non-dwellings, but they were a long time ago. You have struggled with alcohol and cocaine dependency for a long time. It seems that all of your offences have been committed as a result of intoxication.
“These offences were committed back in 2023. You have managed to complete a period of a year or more without committing any further offences. I accept that you are full of shame and apology for your part in this burglary.”
Grimes reacted to his sentence by hanging his head and exhaling a deep sigh. Judge Potter remarked that he “had every reason to feel relief”, after which he muttered “Jesus” under his breath.