Woman spared jail for burglary on student house more than four years ago

Naomi Nasir, aged 25, had originally denied burgling the house in Newport with pal Ruby Collett when the pair were arrested.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard on Friday that four trials had been arranged for Nasir, who now lives in Ireland, but after they were cancelled, she had changed her plea in February this year.

The court was told the pair, who were both living in Worcestershire at the time of the offence, were 21 and “with drink” when they burgled the accommodation for Harper Adams students in Newport in the early hours of December 22, 2020.

Mr Charles Crinion, prosecuting, said the pair had targeted the student home as Nasir's friend Ruby Collett had been in a relationship with one of the students.

He said police were called to the house at around 2am after a neighbour reported a burglary in progress.

He said officers found a broken window and three flat screen TVs piled up by the front door.

Both young women were found in the property “with drink” and had claimed that they lived in the accommodation.

While Nasir previously denied the offence, Collete had admitted it after her arrest and was handed an 18 month suspended sentence in 2022.

Mr Crinion said Nasir changed her plea ahead of a fifth trial so she should be given credit for it but told the judge that the sentencing guidelines had no changed, meaning the defendant faced a stiffer penalty that her co-defendant received.

But Judge Deni Mathews said while the burglary was “utter stupidity” he noted that the defendant had since given up drink and was now living in Ireland having turned her life around.

He imposed a 23 month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered Nasir pay £515 in compensation and court costs.