A BURGLAR who broke into a Network Rail depot in an attempt to steal cable has been handed a suspended sentence.
Barney Christofi, 46, of Beckway Street, Southwark, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, after admitting carrying out the burglary at a Network Rail depot, near Stonebridge Park railway station.
Dean O’Callaghan, 35, of Surrey Square, Southwark, London, also admitted burglary and will be sentenced in April.
The court heard how the pair broke into the depot on the evening of Sunday, August 19, 2012. They then broke into a private room where they proceeded to tamper with railway equipment.
A Network Rail employee who entered the storeroom, which was dark at the time, became suspicious, at which point O’Callaghan and Christofi made their escape.
British Transport Police (BTP) officers arrived swiftly and after carrying out a search of the area, two men fitting the description of the offenders were located close by, in Argenta Way.
They were arrested on suspicion of burglary by BTP officers and later charged with the offence.
The damage caused to railway equipment could have cost Network Rail about £10,000.
At Harrow Crown Court, on Wednesday, January 30, Christofi, was given the suspended sentence which included a 12-month supervision order requiring him to undertake a 12-month drug rehabilitation treatment period.
Detective Constable Matt Nolan, the investigating officer, said: “These men broke into private railway property with an intention of stealing cable – cable which is used across the railway to providing essential safety features to the infrastructure and allowing the trains run safely.
“Thanks to the swift actions of officers, and assistance from Network Rail employees at the depot, we were able to easily and efficiently identify and arrest these two burglars before they were able to take what they thought was theirs.”
