Music production graduate David Adams, 33, dreamed of stardom but his life spiralled out of control after the recruitment agency he owned went bust. He went from house to house in the New Forest burgling 130 homes
An ex-City trader, who jailed for breaking into 130 homes, has been branded a ‘Tinder loverat’ by the woman he cheated on.
Music production graduate David Adams, 33, dreamed of stardom but his life spiralled out of control after the recruitment agency he owned went bust.
The former foreign exchange broker, who set up the agency after his first spell in prison, turned to gambling and burglary to repay his debts.
Since 2014, privately educated Adams has carried out over 130 burglaries, mostly on rural homes he cycled to because he couldn’t drive.
Adams was dubbed ‘the gentleman thief’ after leaving homes ‘nice and tidy’.
And now his ex-partner, Claire Dryer, 37, said he is a ‘liar and a cheat’.
She told The Sun: ‘He’s a liar and a cheat. He’s a loverat. He was on Tinder while he was seeing me.
‘Everything he told me was a lie. He said he was going away on business but really he was casing houses to break into.
‘He would send me pictures of sunsets and beaches to make me think he was working but it was him conning me.’
The pair began dating when Adams answered Ms Dryer’s room-for-rent advert.
She had no idea he had previously served a three-year prison term for 80 burglaries and had been released in 2015.
Ms Dryer found his ‘break-in’ kit, cosnsiting of a crowbar, gloves and dark clothes, at her home in Boscombe, Dorset and she called the police.
Adams’ latest wave of break-ins were in the New Forest, Hampshire, where he cycled from village to village to carry out his crimes.
Claire Dryer found his ‘break-in’ kit, cosnsiting of a crowbar, gloves and dark clothes, at her home in Boscombe, Dorset and she called the police
Bournemouth Crown Court heard he meticulously planned them, visiting the villages before and recording the position of blinds and curtains of potential homes to target in his notebook. He had already served three years in prison for burglary, where he was described as the ‘model inmate’, helping other convicts to read and write.
He even took part in a prison opera production of Les Miserables.
Ironically, he played the role of Bishop Myriel who took pity on criminal Jean Valjean when he was caught stealing his silver.
The opera company who put on the production at High Down Prison, Surrey – Pimlico Opera – said they saw ‘great promise’ in Adams.
But after he was released from his first stretch behind bars in early 2016 he returned to his criminal ways.
Adams’s mother Teresa Adams-Stairs (pictured) says her son is a ‘most unlikely burglar’
Adams (pictured) meticulously planned the robberies, visiting the villages before and recording the position of blinds
Between November 2016 and August 2017 single-handedly increased the burglary rate in some rural areas three times over, stealing cash and jewellery from homes in the New Forest villages of Sway, Hordle, New Milton, West Wellow and Nursling.
He admitted 58 burglaries on top of the 80 that ended in prison time, which were carried out between 2013 and 2014 on properties in Surrey, Dorset, and Hampshire.
Stuart Ellacott, prosecuting, said: ‘The area affected by this spate of offending in effect had what amounted to a threefold increase in the number of burglaries committed when compared to previous years.’
Jonathan Reuben, defending, said Adams turned to gambling after his recruitment business began to fail and when he lost he turned to burgling.
Mr Reuben said: ‘He does not hold a driving licence, and travelled by train with his bike to the areas of these burglaries.
‘The defendant targeted houses that appeared empty. He entered, where possible, to the rear of the houses, and was careful to do as little damage as he could.
‘Mr Adams is a model inmate, and helps fellow inmates to read and write.
‘He played Bishop Myriel in a performance of Les Misérables featuring professionals and inmates.
Adams’s latest wave of break-ins were in the New Forest, Hampshire, where he cycled from village to village to break into people’s homes. Pictured: The New Forest village of Sway
Locked up: Adams was described as a ‘model inmate’ during his time at High Down Prison in Surrey (pictured) where he taught other convicts to read and write
‘The theatre company involved, Pimlico Opera, see great promise in him and have indicated they will offer him work when he is released.
‘Mr Adams is a proud man not always able to admit failure or ask for help, despite coming from a supportive family.
‘He has the dubious honour in his family of being the first to go to prison.
‘He turned to gambling to make money but his life spiralled out of control.’
Mr Reuben added that Adams’ father, also called David Adams, died before he was born.
He was killed in December 1984 in an accident involving a rotor blade of Chinook helicopter in the Falklands.
Privately-educated Adams went to the Duke of Kent RAF School (pictured) in Ewhurst, Surrey
The younger Adams was educated at the private Duke of Kent RAF School in Ewhurst, Surrey.
He then attended the private Stanbridge Earls School in Romsey, Hampshire, whose alumni include film producer Guy Ritchie.
Adams went on to study music performance at Southampton Solent University.
According to his mother, Teresa Adams-Stairs, 64, her son became a foreign currency trader in the City of London before he turned to crime.
After being released from his first stint in prison in September 2015 he set up a recruitment agency that specialised in the water sports industry but the venture quickly failed.
He then attended the private Stanbridge Earls School in Romsey, Hampshire (pictured), where alumni include film producer Guy Ritchie
He was on remand at High Down Prison in Sutton, Surrey, when he appeared in the production of Les Miserables last October.
Mrs Adams-Stairs, who runs a post office in Poole, Dorset, with her wife Georgina, said today that her son didn’t make a likely burglar.
She said: ‘He’s my son and you have to stand by him no matter how big an idiot he’s been.
‘I just feel so sorry for those people who came home to find their possessions had been taken.
‘David handed himself into police the second time round and the officer said he couldn’t believe he was a burglar, he was so different to what they were used to.
‘He’s a lovely man and he’s so creative. It’s just like there are two completely different sides to him.’
Mrs Adams-Stairs, who lives in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, added: ‘When David lived and worked in in London we lost contact.
‘I think he developed a gambling problem and that led to his first burglaries.
‘We reconciled when he was about to go to prison for the first time.
‘When he came out he was determined to get a job and he set up his own recruitment agency. But he got back into gambling.
‘When I was told he had been arrested again it came as a huge shock because I thought he had learnt his lesson.
‘I got a knock on the door at eight in the morning from the police and I knew it had to be David.
‘But not many people get a third chance after they’ve been twice to prison. I hope he can change but I don’t know.’
She said her son was a great actor and played the guitar but suffered from dyslexia.
How Falkland Islands newspaper Penguin News reported the death of Adams’ father, also called David, in a helicopter accident in October 1984
A letter written by Adams was read aloud in court. In it, he said he ‘tries too hard to be likeable’.
He wrote: ‘I am so sorry for my actions and I hope one day I can put things right and be forgiven.’
A psychiatric report highlighted the defendant’s ‘gross persistence of irresponsible behaviour and disregard for social norms’.
Judge Brian Forster QC told Adams: ‘This case is a tragedy for you.
‘You are clearly a person of ability. You went to university. You have had opportunities in your life that many people would love to have.’
Speaking after the sentence, Detective Sergeant Will Whale, of Hampshire police, said: ‘The sheer volume of burglaries caused concern in a number of communities and we’re delighted to have brought the man responsible to justice.’
Adams, of Poole, Dorset, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison.
He had already served three years for burglary at High Down Prison in Surrey, where he even starred in a prison performance of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables (Stock image of the production)