A BURGLARY by a Leigh man was the final straw for a local company which has now gone out of business.

Clifford Lally broke into the offices of Lanyard UK in The Cavern House in Ellesmere Street, Leigh, and stole £7,500 worth of equipment including laptop computers, plasma screens and DVD players. He also caused £1,000 worth of damage.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the raid was one of the contributing factors to the firm ceasing to trade.

Lally also broke into an office above and stole a digital camera worth £250 and a £100 disc drive and caused £150 worth of damage.

Miss Louise Brannon, prosecuting, said that Lally committed the burglary last April.

The previous December he broke into Golbourne Catholic Club and stole cash and property totalling £2,500.

In February he carried out a raid on Courts public house in Leigh and stole cash. He was caught after his DNA was found on a drinks can Lally had drunk from in the catholic club, on a bottle in the pub and on a cigarette butt at Lanyard's offices.

Lally, aged 36, of Gamble Street, pleaded guilty to the four burglaries. He denied two others and these were ordered to lie on the file.

John Chukwumeka, defending, said that Lally, was the sole carer for his daughter and wanted to provide for her.

He had given up his job to look after her. He has now lost the respect of his daughter and the local community. Judge David Swift jailed him for a total of 12 months.