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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Mark Naylor & Liam Buckler

Woman, 27, watched man's funeral procession then deliberately burgled his empty home

A callous woman watched the funeral procession of a 65-year-old neighbour - then burgled his home in a "disgusting" and "heartbreaking" raid.

Leanne Hunter, 27, from Hull, stole a number of sentimental items as well as £200 cash knowing lifelong Hull KR supporter David Butler had died, HullLive reported.

Hull Crown Court heard how Hunter walked in through the back door, which was not secure, and stole £200 cash from a wallet, CDs, Mr Butler's wife's death certificate and the marriage certificate for him and his late wife.

The family were sorting out the property after Mr Butler had died just two weeks earlier.

Lifelong Hull KR supporter David Butler (Hull Daily Mail / MEN Media)
David Butler's home was raided (Hull Daily Mail / MEN Media)

Hunter originally claimed that she saw the funeral procession and "did not put two and two together" about the empty house.

Hannah Turner, prosecuting, said: "It's certain that she would have known that the deceased had passed away and the property was empty.

"Beds in two bedrooms were flipped over as though she was looking for stuff."

A neighbour looked at CCTV and spotted Hunter entering the house empty-handed but leaving with a holdall of Mr Butler's belongings.

His daughter, Melanie Butler, confronted Hunter and asked for his belongings to be returned.

"She refused and shut the door in her face," said Miss Turner.

Hunter later admitted, however, that she took the items out of "curiosity".

Heartless Leanne Hunter made the 'absolutely despicable' burglary (Hull Daily Mail / MEN Media)

Melanie later said: "The incident has made me feel awful and mentally drained.

"The items that were taken have really impacted my life.

"She had no right to take my parents' belongings."

Hunter had convictions for eight previous offences between 2007 and 2014, including being sent to a young offenders' institution for 18 months in September 2014 for two offences of burglary.

Nick Peacock, mitigating, said that, despite what Hunter originally claimed, it was obvious that someone who had seen a funeral cortege pass an empty house would have to realise that someone had died.

Judge John Thackray QC told Hunter: "You asserted that, although you saw the funeral procession, you didn't realise that the occupier of the house that you burgled was recently deceased. I do not accept that.

"It's the inevitable inference that you knew very well that the occupier had recently died and you targeted it for that very reason.

"You deliberately targeted the premises of a person you knew had recently died.

"All offences of dwelling house burglary are serious but this is a particularly mean offence."

Hunter was jailed for two years and four months.

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