Burglar tried to paddle to France

A wanted burglar has been jailed after he admitted stealing a kayak and trying to paddle
across one of the world’s busiest sea lanes to start a new life in France.
Paul Redford, 46, was on the run after committing thefts in Darlington and Blyth, Northumberland, dating back to 2011, when he had to be rescued a mile into the English Channel by the RNLI last month.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Redford, a trialist for the English homeless football team, had broken into a holiday chalet in Camber, East Sussex, cooked food for himself and spent the night there.
Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said Redford spotted a kayak outside the holiday home the next morning and decided to head to France with only a child’s life jacket for safety.
Police were called by a member of the public who was concerned about Redford when he was spotted paddling out to sea in the kayak.
Miss Masters said: “The RNLI had to be launched. The defendant was found a mile out to sea in the canoe and he was recovered by the lifeboat.
“He told the crew he had stolen it from a house in Camber. He said he was wanted by the police for a number of years and was going to get to France.”
Almost exactly two years before, Redford had stolen a laptop and £1,500 rent money from flats where he was living in Darlington.
Three months later, he convinced a former prison pal to let him stay at his house in Blyth as he was homeless.
Redford stole mobile phones, watches, a jacket and a games console worth a total of £1,145 when he was left alone in the property.
He stayed in London for two years, selling the Big Issue and keeping out of trouble, the court heard. He even featured in a recent TV documentary about homelessness.
But he came to the attention of the authorities again with his bold plan to get to France.
James Fenny, defending, said Redford, with 27 previous convictions for 83 offences, was not trying to flee justice so much as start afresh.
He had just left London having kicked drugs and was cold, desperate and hungry when he broke into the chalet.