'Deplorable': Thief Steven Gorvett jailed for stealing school iPads intended for children of key workers

Steven Gorvett's crime was described as 'truly deplorable'
CPS

A man who stole school iPads intended for the children of key workers school has been jailed.

Steven Gorvett, 42, of no fixed address, stole the devices from Beaumont Primary School in Warrington on April 9, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The Cheshire school remained open to pupils whose parents needed to continue working despite the coronavirus lockdown.

The iPads were for children who had no other access to IT.

Gorvett climbed into the school in the early hours of the morning via scaffolding and tampered with a security sensor.

He broke into the building using a crow bar and smashed a window, leaving a trail of blood in the school office.

Another man accompanying him fled when the school’s alarm went off.

The 42-year-old made off with the equipment in a backpack but abandoned it when he realised it was indelibly marked for security.

He was traced through his DNA left in the office and was arrested on May 13.

The school’s business manager, Joanne Warburton said the break-in had left the school with a bill of around £4,500 to replace the stolen iPads, repair the damage and deep-clean the building because of the trail of blood left by the intruder.

Gorvett pleaded guilty to burglary and being in possession of cannabis at Liverpool Crown Court.

On Thursday, Judge HHJ Trevor-Jones, sentenced him to 28 months in jail.

Crown Advocate Mike Stephenson, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “Staff at Beaumont Primary School were educating the children of people who were working through the Coronavirus epidemic.

“These families were presumably already under some pressure to work through what are extraordinary circumstances.

“For the staff and children to then have to face the loss of key equipment and the shock of seeing their school broken into is a further strain in an already difficult situation.”

Detective Constable Vicky Hancox, of the Warrington Beat Team, said: “To target a school during the coronavirus pandemic and steal iPads used to assist children of key workers to learn and develop is truly deplorable.

“This crime has not only affected the pupils but has also impacted the hard-working staff who have been continuing to provide an education for these children in the most difficult of circumstances.

“I am pleased that Gorvett is now behind bars for his actions and I hope this sentence will deter others from committing similar burglary offences."

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