Would-be burglar left dangling upside down with head on toilet had to ask intended victim for help

A bungling would-be burglar was left dangling upside down with his head on a toilet for more than an hour-and-half after getting stuck in a bathroom window. Daniel Severn, 27, dropped his mobile phone in the bath during the attempted break-in, so was unable to call for help.  The owner of the house woke up, ready to go to work, only to find Severn hanging over his toilet. Severn, who was wearing Marigold gloves and had a bag for his loot and a knife on him, said: “Please help. Call the police.”

Humberside Police raced to the house, in Howden, in the East Riding of Yorkshire where Severn was said to be “unexpectedly grateful” for the presence. Hull Crown Court heard he had made a full confession to the homeowners he wanted to steal their property. He even told them his name and that he was addicted to heroin. Severn, of Howden, pleaded guilty to burglary, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of 260 diazepam tablets. Crown barrister Mark Kendal said: “Mr Wilson had gone to bed at his home in St John Street, Howden, which is a corner property, leaving the bathroom window open so the cat could get in his house. At 5.30am on November 20 he went to the bathroom as he got ready for work.



“As he approached the door he could hear moaning on the other side. As he opened the door he saw a man dangling inside his bathroom. One foot was trapped in the window. Daniel Severn’s head was resting on the toilet. The police were called and Daniel Severn remained where he was He told them his name and that he had been trying to ring the police himself because he had been stuck for over an hour. He had a shopping bag in his trousers. He told the complaint he was heroin addict looking for items to sell. He said he got his foot stuck climbing in the house. He had a mobile phone with a torch on it, but it had fallen in the bath. He had two pairs of gloves on so as not to leave finger prints and a Stanley knife.”

The court heard Severn had 80 previous convictions, but that he was not a very good criminal. Defending barrister Richard Sheldon said: “If his head had been 1ft to the right, it would have been down the toilet. Although the family had the horror of finding him, he has expressed genuine remorse.”Sentencing, Recorder Amanda Ripon told Severn: “You burgled this house in Howden while the occupants were asleep. You got yourself trapped. Your foot got stuck in the window and your head was near the toilet. It would be funny if it were not so serious an offence.” Severn was jailed for two years and four months.