A MAGISTRATES' decision to grant bail to a prolific 19-year-old burglar was described as "stupid" by a senior judge at Bolton Crown Court.

"He has committed 71 previous offences yet he is given bail and goes out to commit 30 more," said Judge Michael Lever QC.

His stinging comment was made as Clinton Flynn, of Green Way, Hall i'th'Wood, Bolton, pleaded guilty to burglary and asked for 34 house break-ins, involving stolen property worth £24,000, to be taken into consideration.

His brother, Ty, aged 20, of the same address, also admitted the burglary and asked for 20 other cases involving the theft of property valued at £37,500 to be taken into consideration.

"I have rarely, if ever, seen a worse pair of criminal records," said Judge Lever, as he sent the brothers to a young offenders' institution for four years. Tim Prudhoe, prosecuting, said the Flynn brothers and a third man were caught by police during a break-in at a house at Egerton.

Clinton Flynn was remanded in custody for a week by Bolton Magistrates. But he was then given bail after his defence had argued that he had been acting under the influence of his elder brother.

It was said that many of the burglaries they committed were close to their own home on the Hall i'th' Wood estate.

The third man arrested at the Egerton house raid, was Alex Garrett, 19, of Mitre Street, Bolton. He admitted his part in the break-in, another burglary at Lostock and two charges of aggravated vehicle taking.

In the first vehicle case in December 1995, Garrett had smashed a stolen car into a wall at Darwen Road receiving serious injuries including brain damage, the court was told.

In the second car case he had again run a stolen car into a wall as he tried to get away after a burglary at Lostock. His counsel, Andrew Long, said Garrett had been greatly affected by the first crash and his mother was in despair.

He needed treatment at a special rehabilitation unit. There was a place for him but the funding, amounting to £1,000 a week, was not available, Mr Long said.

In the meantime, Garrett had started taking heroin and had fallen victim to men who had beaten him up, broken his arm and forced him to commit the Lostock burglary.

He said Garrett had also tried to commit suicide.

Judge Lever put Garrett on probation for two years and banned him from driving for three years. He warned Garrett: "If you appear before me again there will be no mercy."

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