A MAN burgled a house, stole wine from a supermarket, drove a dangerously unroadworthy car without a licence and insurance – and then turned himself in to the police while barefoot and drunk, a court has heard.
Rafal Ratajczak (49) committed the crimes in August and September last year while homeless and “at his lowest ebb”, the Royal Court was told.
Ratajczak was sentenced to 312 hours of community service, fined £1,000 and banned from driving for nine months for the offences.
Crown Advocate Lauren Taylor, prosecuting, said Ratajczak broke into an empty house in St Peter in August, stealing a car charger and two sets of keys. The owners were away at the time and the house was up for sale.
Later that month he was spotted in St Helier driving a Toyota Corolla that was leaking oil onto the road surface and had defective brakes. Ratajczak was also discovered to have no valid licence or insurance for the vehicle.
And on two separate occasions in September he stole a bottle of wine from Morrisons Daily in St Ouen. The thefts were captured on the store’s CCTV.
Advocate Taylor said that individually the offences could have been dealt with in the Magistrate’s Court, but taken together they needed sentencing in the higher court.
She said the items stolen in the break-in were not of high value, but pointed out: “That an intruder could be in your home leaves a victim with a sense of violation and insecurity.”
Ratajczak was considered at moderate risk of reoffending, with Advocate Taylor recommending 348 hours of community service, a fine and a driving ban.
Advocate Nicholas Mière, defending, said: “In August and September Mr Ratajczak was at his lowest ebb.
“He was homeless, he was without work, he had no hope and frankly he was drinking himself to death.”
He said Ratajczak had been intoxicated at the time of the break-in but accepted how it would have made the owners feel.
Advocate Mière added that Ratajczak had not had a drink since October, spent 12 weeks in Silkworth Lodge and was now working there as a volunteer, helping other people with alcohol problems.
Commissioner Alan Binnington said the break-in was considered the most serious offence for its psychological impact on the owners.
He added that the courts often dealt with people who claimed to have changed – but the Jurats felt that he had genuinely done so.
He told Ratajczak: “You take responsibility for all your offences and you have expressed remorse.
“Not only have you changed but you are helping other people to do so.
“We very much hope that your change will be a permanent one.”
