A middle-aged Sudbury man who has spent much of his adult life behind bars because he can't stop drinking or committing break and enters was sentenced to 30 months in a federal penitentiary Monday.
Derek John Gray, 41, pleaded guilty to committing four break and enters - three on the same street in Copper Cliff - between April and November.
During one incident, Gray pleaded guilty to mischief as he caused significant damage by kicking in a door and then ransacking the home before stealing jewelry, electronics equipment and other items.
During another incident, Gray jumped into a car in a garage attached to a home he'd broken into and destroyed the vehicle after driving it through a backyard and smashing it into a retaining wall.
Two of the break and enters took place during the same week in April. In one incident, Gray stole more than $4,000 in jewelry and electronics.
The last break and enter took place in the middle of November at a Sudbury residence.
Gray was caught after police took DNA samples from saliva found on a beer bottle and bottle of liquor from two of the residences which were broken into.
In all four break and enters, Gray gained entry by smashing in windows or doors to the residences.
When Gray was arrested Nov. 17, police found two rings stolen from the Sudbury residence broken into a day earlier.
Defence counsel Donald Kuyek said Gray has spent a lot of time behind bars over the past several years for committing similar offenses, but this is the first time he'll be serving his sentence at a federal penitentiary.
Gray realizes he needs help for his serious alcohol addiction and will hopefully be able to access counseling and programs inside the federal penitentiary system, he said.
Gray's family continues to support him through these difficult times, even though they're obviously disappointed he's gotten into so much trouble because of his alcohol addiction, said Kuyek.
Wiping away tears, Gray told the court he realizes how serious his alcohol addiction has become and he wants to get help while incarcerated.
Justice R.P. Villeneuve of the Ontario Court of Justice said he realizes alcohol played a significant role in these crimes, however, he told Gray his horrible criminal record and insistence of doing break and enters has damaged a lot of lives.
People who are victimized by break and enters often never feel safe in their own homes again, he said.
"They feel violated...people just don't feel safe in their own homes after incidents like this...and they have to live with the knowledge their home has been invaded," he said. "It's very unsettling and some never recover."
Many people have problems with alcohol and drug addiction, but most of them don't resort to breaking into the homes of strangers and substance abuse addiction is no excuse for this repeated criminal behaviour, he said.
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