A PROLIFIC burglar who broke into a home on Canvey on Christmas Day has had her jail term slashed by half over claims she was being controlled by her ex-partner.

Lindsay Hilden, 35, of no fixed abode on Canvey, carried out at least 23 burglaries with Peter Flowers, 43, Basildon Crown Court heard yesterday.

However, Recorder Kenneth Carr reduced her prison term from six years to just three after hearing that she had a less significant role in the crime spree than Flowers.

Nick Ham, mitigating for Hilden, supplied a selection of letters between Hilden and Flowers that showed him speaking in a threatening way to her following their separation.

Mr Ham called for the sentence to be reduced because of the abusive relationship that Hilden was in with Flowers during the eight-week period that the burglaries were committed.

He also claimed that she was addicted to drugs throughout that time.

He said: “Flowers controlled her by not giving her money and only giving her drugs. Following having been arrested, she tried to end the relationship.

“Clearly she was in a abusive relationship, she had really never been involved in burglaries before so how does it come to be that she is now committing burglaries?

“She was in such as state with the level of drug taking that she has no memory of that time.”

During the time of the burglaries, the pair had stolen car keys, money and jewellery. They were also found to have been squatting in properties and breaking into houses at night.

The court heard that two burglaries were on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Recorder Carr said: “Although the abusive relationship is significant, it is not more significant.

“Stealing Christmas presents and things of sentimental value as well as trespassing at night. An act such as that leaves people afraid in their own homes.”