Burglars get combined 14 years in prison after targeting homes of 19 vulnerable pensioners in Milton Keynes

The three men have today been jailed for a total of 14 years after a judge heard details of their evil campaign, which involved 19 burglaries in 27 days.

Kristopher Barfoot, Aaron Tompkins and Benjamin Tompkins broke into the homes of helpless pensioners and stole their mobile phones so they could not call for assistance, Aylesbury Crown Court was told.

Using stolen cars to get around, they burgled homes all over MK, including the towns of Stony Stratford, Newport Pagnell and Bletchley.

The defendants stole wallets, purses and car keys from their victims, often using the keys to locate the cars and take them.

Judge Catherine Tulk, sentencing the three, said: "Over a 27-day period, in December of last year into January this year, the three of you carried out what can only be described as a campaign of burglaries, particularly targeting in the main the homes of the most vulnerable, those least able to fight back or resist.

"Breaking into old people's homes, usually in the middle of the night when the occupants were in bed, you were stealing whatever you could find."

Judge Tulk said the most serious offence was a raid they carried out on a 97-year-old woman's home on January 11 at 3am .

"She was awoken by a man walking around her bedroom. He spoke to her and asked her for money. She screamed at him to get out and he left," she said.

"She telephoned her granddaughter and together they discovered various items had been taken, including a necklace of great sentimental value for her as it had been a gift from her late husband."

The judge added: "I find it extremely hard to believe that a 97-year-old woman living alone, being woken up by an intruder at 3 o'clock in the morning and then losing a necklace of great sentimental value, would not have caused trauma."

All of the defendants had previous convictions. Barfoot had 21 convictions for 44 offences; Benjamin Tompkins had 42 convictions for 84 offences; Aaron Tompkins had 43 convictions for 90 offences - many of which were for stealing things in the past.

Barfoot had carried out 19 burglaries, 10 of which he had been charged with and nine of which he asked to be taken into consideration; Benjamin Tompkins carried out 17 burglaries, two of which he had been charged with and 15 of which he asked to be taken into consideration, and Aaron Tompkins carried out seven burglaries, five of which he had been charged with and two of which he asked to be taken into consideration.

Judge Tulk sentenced Barfoot, aged 36 years, of no fixed address, to six years and eight months imprisonment.

Benjamin Tompkins, aged 36, of Granby Court in Bletchley, was given six years imprisonment, and Aaron Tompkins, 32, of no fixed abode, was given four years and four months.