Maxine Lane, was sentenced at the Oxford Crown Court on Friday, June 27, for a burglary committed on Church Road, Northmoor, on December 15, 2021.
During the court hearing, it was revealed that Maxine’s teenage daughter, who was present in the public gallery and visibly emotional, was considered a ‘co-defendant’ in the case. However, no conviction was made against her, as it was deemed ‘not in the public interest to prosecute.’
Maxine Lane’s case had prolonged in the judicial system until she conceded to a guilty plea in May 2023. The burglary incident occurred when the homeowner returned to their residence after visiting a newly born grandchild, only to witness someone fleeing the premises. Lane was subsequently located in her car farther down the road, prompting a police response.
Upon searching the vehicle, ‘various items’ were retrieved, including a prized medal, a fob watch, garden theatre tokens, jewelry such as a necklace with a pearl pendant, plus wire cutters on Lane’s lap. A crowbar was discovered discarded nearby along the road.
A victim impact statement shared during the proceedings emphasized the distress the event caused. The victim described the ransacked condition of the house and the emotional trauma experienced, noting difficulty in being alone in the house thereafter.
Lane’s past includes 18 convictions for 51 offences dated back to 2003, with a respite since 2018 and no previous domestic burglaries. Her defense mentioned two burgeoning businesses as evidence of her stride towards rehabilitation.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Nigel Daly characterized the burglary as extremely distressing for the victims and acknowledged Lane’s crime-free period since 2018. Consequently, he opted for a community sentence in lieu of imprisonment.
Maxine Lane received an 18-month community order requiring completion of 15 hours of rehabilitation activities and 100 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, she must pay £1,000 in compensation alongside a £114 victim surcharge.
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