A ‘SCEPTICAL’ judge told a would-be burglar to “stay away from bad influences” after hearing that the defendant was found in the garden of a Poole home.

Igor Viera was one of three to travel from his home in London to Dorset on October 12 last year, although he claimed he had not visited the coast with the intent of committing a crime.

The group travelled to Skinner Street, where they were spotted wearing hooded tops outside one of the properties by a man living in a neighbouring home.

Timothy Bradbury, prosecuting the case at Bournemouth Crown Court, said the men had made off after realising the neighbour was watching them.

“He saw [the intruders] get into a car and drive away,” Mr Bradbury said.

“He saw the kitchen window of the property was smashed and the shed door was open and he alerted police.

“He then goes to investigate further.

“To his surprise, he sees that there is a man in the garden of the neighbouring property, who pretty nonsensically says, ‘This is ours’.

“He replies, ‘No it isn’t. The police are on their way.’”

Viera, who was 17 at the time of the offence and has now turned 18, was arrested a short time later.

During interview, the defendant said he had travelled to Dorset from London in his friend’s new car and had been in the vehicle for a full six hours, at no stage getting out.

However, investigators discovered his palm imprint on glass at the Skinner Street property.

Nothing was stolen and the owners were away on holiday at the time.

Viera, of Lyndhurst Gardens in north west London, admitted attempted burglary.

He has no previous convictions or cautions.

Mitigating, Kevin Hill said Viera believed he was going to a party in Bournemouth on the day of the offence.

“At some point, although he has been quite vague about it, he realised there was no party and he was involved in something else,” Mr Hill said.

“He has difficulty accepting [his] guilt. That may have something to do with his mother being present during the interview with the probation service.”

Sentencing Viera to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, Recorder Gordon Bebb QC told the defendant: “I have to say, the court views the suggestion that this was quite by chance and you were an unwilling and ignorant participant with a great deal of scepticism.

“Here you are, aged 18, with the whole of your life in front of you.

“[You must] stay away from bad influences because your life will go down the drain.”