Calderdale house burglar 'beyond repulsive' after he is caught breaking into funeral home

Simon Kierans, 35, had already burgled two occupied homes in Hebden Bridge and Todmorden last August, but after being arrested and released on bail he went on to attack the Bridgefold Independent Funeral Service premises in Rochdale.

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Bradford Crown Court heard how Kierans forced his way into the funeral home in the early hours of November 2 by smashing a ground floor window.

As Kierans carried out an untidy search the owner was alerted to the burglary by an alarm and police officers arrived on the scene while the defendant was still inside the premises.

Prosecutor Laura McBride said Kierans could be seen wearing a balaclava, black gloves and carrying a hammer and the officers called for a dog handler before going in to arrest him.

She said Kierans was found in the toilet area where he had used some ladders to block the door and was trying to escape through the ceiling.

Miss McBride said damage totalling more than £1800 was caused to the premises including some damage to the mortuary fridge casing.

The court heard that the funeral home owner was left feeling devastated and upset by the burglary and Judge Rose said it was “beyond repulsive” that Kierans should attack a funeral home.

Last August Kierans, of no fixed abode, broke into a sleeping couple’s home in Hebden Bridge, but fled empty-handed when he was disturbed by one of the occupants.

Three weeks later he burgled a family home in Todmorden while a mum and her children were asleep.

During that break-in he stole various property including the keys to a Ford Fiesta which was driven away and never recovered.

Judge Rose was told that Kierans had 36 convictions for 113 offences and had 10 previous house burglaries in his record.

He was jailed today for 45 months for the two house burglaries and a further burglary at a beauty salon after he pleaded guilty to a series of offences.

But the judge said the funeral home break-in was “a particularly despicable offence” and he added an extra 12 months in prison to Kierans’ total sentence.

As the hearing via a video link to the prison where Kierans is currently held ended he said:”l’m very sorry.”

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