A BURGLAR who targeted a blind man and the acted in a "disgusting way" towards police officers has been put behind bars.  

The victim, who is blind, was asleep at his address, in Braintree, when he was alerted to the presence of Rory Lockley-Steward, 24, who had climbed inside through a window.

He managed to grab at Lockley-Steward, removing one of his trainers in the process.

Lockley-Steward was able to run off with the victim’s mobile phone and a tin containing a three-figure sum of cash and prescription medication.

Officers were called out at around 12.11am on May 12 and recovered Lockley-Steward’s shoe from the address, before moving to track the victim’s stolen phone.

Lockley-Steward was traced to Coggeshall Road, Braintree, by 1.25am where officers caught him hiding behind a vehicle.

Lockley-Steward made “significant comments” to the arresting officer including asking for his shoe back – which was captured on body-cam footage.

Once in custody and inside a holding cell, Lockley-Steward further spat at the cell door and on the floor.

Lockley-Steward, 24, was charged with and admitted burglary and criminal damage.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday June 10 and he was jailed for two years and eight months. 

Detective Constable Emily Fitzgerald, an officer in the case, said: “Burglary is a hugely violating crime and this offender targeted a vulnerable victim.

“We were quick to respond and, across several teams, ensured we built a concrete case against Lockley-Steward."

Det Con Fitzgerald added: “This was solid police work from local and community policing officers involved in attending the scene and supporting the victim, through to locating the suspect within a matter of hours.

“Lockley-Steward showed no regard for the harm his actions caused and instead chose to act in a disgusting way towards officers going about their duty keeping the public safe.”

Lockley-Steward was previously sentenced to 43 weeks in prison in 2021, being given a three-year criminal behaviour order, after 11 charges of shoplifting.