A WOMAN whose Longhope home was burgled travelled from the other side of the world to tell a court about the impact the crime had on her.

Holly Clarke told Gloucester Crown Court she was speaking out to get justice for herself and for the safety of other women with whom 28-year-old William Tyler might have a relationship.

Ms Clarke had travelled from Perth in Western Australia to give evidence against Tyler, of Prospect Close, Coleford, who was accused of burgling her home in Longhope but he changed his plea on the day his trial was to begin.

At a hearing in March he admitted breaking into the property on November 14, 2022 and stealing an electronic keyboard worth £300 and car keys.

In her victim impact statement Ms Clarke said: “I was on the other side of the world, but I still found the impact of this burglary was gut-wrenching.

“I had worked really hard on my little home. It was my safe place. Tyler decimated my sense of safety and the pride I had in my house.

“My favourite hobby at home was playing the electric keyboard, but this is the one item Tyler stole. But Tyler’s actions have tainted my outlook on my home.

“This incident has directly impacted every facet of my life. I felt so unsure about returning home from Australia, that I made the decision there and then to permanently emigrate.

“The reason I have pursued this matter is in the hope I can get justice for myself and for the safety of any other women that Tyler may have a relationship with. I really hope that nobody has to go through what I did. I genuinely hope he gets the help he so clearly needs.”

Catherine Spedding, defending, said: “A number of letters have been written on Tyler’s behalf. He has mental health issues and is not being flippant in court by his mannerisms, it’s the way he is.

“Tyler has stopped taking cocaine and looks a lot healthier and brighter than he did before. This offending occurred during a low point in his life.”

Judge Rupert Lowe told Tyler: “When you found yourself short of money and unable to purchase drugs you chose to steal something and hit upon breaking into your former partner’s home to steal something.

“You gained entry and stole a keyboard which you told the pawn shop that it was yours to sell when it plainly wasn’t. This was disgraceful example of criminal activity.

“Ms Clarke told us that she felt that your actions were gut-wrenching, shocking and that you violated her safe place, the house she had worked so hard to maintain. This made her scared to return home.”

The judge sentenced Tyler to an 18-month community order and ordered to attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £805 compensation to Ms Clarke for a replacement front door and £160 to the shop where he sold the keyboard.