A man who burgled one of Damien Hirst’s studios and was caught by police who traced the movements of his GPS-enabled ankle tag has been jailed.
Liam Middleton-Gomm broke into Thames Wharf Studios in west London on 30 June and stole around £5,130 of goods, including electronic items, clothing and a pram.
The 36-year-old, of no fixed abode, smashed the window beside a fire exit and reached in to activate its shutter and enter the building, prosecutor Paul Andrews told Kingston Crown Court on Thursday.
The burglar, who has dozens of previous convictions, had attended the studio twice that evening and went to his father’s property with some of the stolen goods, the court heard.
It is understood Middleton-Gomm stole multiple leather jackets that were being embellished, as well as trousers, embroidered shirts and a Dior pram with silver skulls on its wheels.
Some of the property was sold on and has not been recovered.
Middleton-Gomm’s father, Leslie Gomm, 62, of Fulham, west London, previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods for his son’s benefit.
He was given a one-year conditional discharge on Thursday after having been in custody for three and a half months before his sentencing.
The prosecution said Middleton-Gomm visited his father’s property twice that evening, but Gomm did not know the studio was being burgled.
Police charged the burglar after examining data from his GPS ankle tag and DNA at the scene, Mr Andrews told the court.
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Judge Martyn Barklem sentenced Middleton-Gomm to 32 months in prison.
He said: “You were actually wearing a GPS tag that was part of your licence conditions when you were carrying out these offences.”
He added: “Your appalling previous record is of course a serious aggravating factor”.
The court heard Middleton-Gomm has 39 previous convictions involving 83 offences, including multiple house burglaries.
Middleton-Gomm had pleaded guilty to two counts of burgling Hirst’s riverside studio.
He was also sentenced for two house burglaries on 9 and 17 July, as well as the attempted burglary of a property on 9 July.
