A ‘Bogeyman’ burglar discovered hiding under a boy’s bed — naked apart from the child’s own pants – has been jailed.
Dubbed a real-life Bogeyman by police, Ahmad Hassan, 28, left the youngster in fear of going to his bedroom alone, while his brother was so traumatized he vomited.
Canterbury Crown Court heard the shocking discovery was made after they had returned home from trick or treating with their mom.
Despite finding doors and windows open at the property in Folkestone, Kent, and the interior ransacked, the family believed the intruder had left.
But then one of the boys was greeted by the “mortifying” sight under his bed.
Police were alerted and found Hassan, by now in another bedroom, lying on the floor stretched out in a starfish position and still wearing the boy’s orange pants.
Hassan later denied burglary with intent to steal but was found guilty after a jury deliberated for just 40 minutes.
He did not give evidence at his trial – where a police officer described him to jurors as “the Bogeyman” – but Canterbury Crown Court heard he had been under the influence of drugs at the time.
Now, on being jailed, a judge has told him she could not “begin to imagine” how his young victim must have felt at what confronted him on October 31 last year.
Prosecutor Alex Matthews told the sentencing hearing on Wednesday that the family returned home at about 9pm to find toys all over the floor, wet clothes in the hallway, and some of their own clothing and bedding disturbed.
She said: “It was thought no one was in the house but, to the shock of one of the children, it transpired the defendant was hiding under the child’s bed.
“Obviously, the family was rather distressed.
“The defendant was ultimately found in another son’s bedroom and was clearly under the influence of drink or drugs.”
The court heard it was accepted Hassan had not forced entry as the homeowner believed she may have left a door open, and nothing was actually stolen.
In her victim impact statement, made a few hours after the burglary, the mum revealed how she and her sons had been affected.
They decided not to stay in the house that night and are believed to have since moved.
She told police: “I’m still shaken, feeling extremely anxious, in shock and ultimately scared. I know the house is now safe but I’m scared to go home.
“My children are mortified. One will live constantly thinking someone is in the house. He didn’t want to go back to his bedroom without me.
“My other son threw up as a result of the fear he has been put through.”
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