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TEENAGER SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS |
 A teenage drug addict who stole thousands of pounds worth of musical equipment from a shed before setting it on fire has been sentenced to two years behind bars. Jordan Curtis, of Watford, pleaded guilty to arson and robbery when he appeared before St Albans Crown Court on Friday, November 30. The court heard the 19-year-old had stolen items from a shed in the garden of a home in Villiers Road, Oxhey. The outbuilding had been fitted out with a stereo system and housed an extensive record and CD collection. Curtis stole equipment worth £7,500 from the building and then set it on fire to cover his tracks. He was arrested after he tried to sell on the instruments he had taken. The teenager was also charged with a robbery on Tuesday, August 11, when he punched a man walking in Radlett Park and took his i-pod and mobile. The victim was not badly hurt as he said "they were not very good punches". In pleading guilty to arson and robbery, Curtis also asked for six other theft and criminal dam-age offences to be taken into consideration. These occurred on the night of Saturday, Au-gust 1, when he tried to steal from sheds and break into homes in Capel Road, Oxhey. Defending, Robin Griffith, said Curtis' offend-ing was all motivated by his drug habit. He said Curtis had had a difficult year after family circumstances had led to him leaving his mother's Watford home and he had turned to drugs. He initially stayed at the Watford YMCA but is now of no fixed address. Mr Griffith said Curtis was keen to have a fresh start and wanted to move away from Wat-ford. Sentencing Curtis to 24 months in a young offenders' institute, Judge John Plumstead, con-demned the teenager for his inconsiderate behaviour.
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