Burglar died from suspected drug overdose after walking out of rehab centre (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Former Cirencester burglar died from suspected drug overdose after walking out of rehab centre

1:20pm Monday 24th September 2012 in News

A FORMER Cirencester burglar who walked out of the rehab centre where he was sent as part of his sentence, has been found dead from a drugs overdose.

Paul Sadler, of Overton Road, Cheltenham, had been given a community sentence order in November last year after pleading guilty to a burglary in Victoria Road on November 12, 2010. He had kicked in the front door of a property to steal a pink bicycle, but cut himself doing so leaving vital DNA evidence.

His sentence required him to spend at least a year at the Ley Community in Oxford tackling his drink and drug addiction.

But the 37-year-old had appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on August 13 after walking out of the clinic, when the court heard he had left the Ley Community because he felt he had gained all he could from it.

A warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to reappear at court the following week.

This week, Judge Jamie Tabor was told that Sadler had been found dead at a property in Swindon on September 4 from an apparently accidental drug overdose.

Judge Tabor said it was a 'sad result' to Sadler's decision to try to tackle his problems himself.

"His decision has had fatal consequences," said the judge.

On August 13, Judge Tabor had criticised Sadler's decision saying he would not have been a good judge of whether he was ready ot leave. Sadler agreed to return to the Ley Community but never arrived and a warrant for his arrest was subsequently issued.