A CONVICTED burglar who went missing for six months has been jailed for seven years and four months.

David Benyon, aged 24, of Compton Road, Cheltenham, absconded from Worcester Crown Court while on court bail the day before he was convicted for conspiracy to burgle on July 24.

The charge related to a ram raid in Broadway at 3am on May 5, 2009, when a stolen Land Rover Discovery was used to gain entry to the Nisa store in Bibsworth Avenue and the cashpoint machine inside was stolen.

His conviction included burglary, theft of a Land Rover, a further attempted theft of a second Land Rover, robbery and the theft of a disc cutter.

He was sentenced in his absence on August 20 last year to seven years’ imprisonment.

Shortly before 9am on Thursday, officers from Gloucestershire Police attended a property at Monkscroft Villas, Princess Elizabeth Way, Cheltenham, and found Benyon at the address.

Detective Inspector Stuart Murphy, of South Worcestershire CID, said: “We have put a lot of effort into tracking down David Benyon, but he has done everything he can to avoid justice, keeping constantly on the move.

“Now he is heading to jail where he belongs.

“In his greed to take cash from the Nisa ATM, he caused severe structural damage to the shop, totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, after he stole a local resident’s 4x4, writing it off in the raid.

“It is nearly four years since he committed the crime, so I am pleased for the community in Broadway that he is now getting what he deserves and facing time in prison.”

Three other people were also arrested at the address. A 44- year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, a 46-year-old man on suspicion of assisting an offender and assaulting a police officer, and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of assisting an offender and possession with intent to supply a class A drug.