'I turned detective to prove my best friend trashed home during break in'

Cruel intruders bit off more than they could chew when they trashed the home of mum Caley Robinson.

Her TV, coffee machine and, oddly, rugs were taken.

But this was no ordinary break-in. It happened on no ordinary day.

And the sheer wanton destruction and vile state the house was left in convinced Caley it was by no means a random raid.

Through sheer dogged detective work over two long and stressful years she would finally prove that her former best pal Katie Morrison, 32, was behind it.

Caley even uncovered a long history of deception in which she had been conned out of thousands of pounds.

Her nightmare began on the day she had organised a fundraiser in memory of beloved brother Tom, who was only 17 when he died in a moped crash.

Jobless Katie, her brother Christopher and boyfriend David Rodericks struck while Caley was out.

The entire house – even her two kids’ stuff – was a mess. Clothes were cut up, wardrobes and drawers were ransacked, the bathroom was trashed and walls were smeared with gunk.

Food, cigarette butts and beer bottles littered the floor. The intruders set fire to a bedroom, used the home as a toilet and left other insulting evidence of their raid.

Building surveyor Caley, 34, was heartbroken... and furious.

Police had no valid forensic evidence because Katie used to live with Caley and Rodericks knew his victim too – explaining their DNA at the scene.

But Caley was suspicious after they gave flimsy and conflicting reasons for not being at the fundraiser.

She quizzed neighbours and uncovered a paper trail that finally led to all three being convicted.

Last night, mum-of-two Caley said: “I built the case against them myself and I was determined they wouldn’t win. Now they know, when they targeted me, they were messing with the wrong woman!”

Caley had spent months organising the fundraising event at Capel Manor College in Enfield, North London.

She explained: “It was an amazing event to raise money for Tom’s college where he had learned gardening.

“We had a funfair, pony rides, a barbecue, performances and even a Bob Marley tribute act. The sun was shining and the crowds were loving it. But at 2pm I got a text from my neighbour, saying my window blinds were fully down.

“I asked him to look through my window. He said the TV was missing and my house had been ransacked. I felt sick.

“I had to carry on the rest of the day knowing my house was wrecked.”

When Caley got home to Charlwood Village, Surrey, she was horrified.

She was mystified too... then realised Katie and Rodericks, 40, had failed to turn up at the fundraiser.

“Something told me it was Katie,” said Caley. “We’d been pals for 10 years and once shared the house, but our friendship had fallen apart when David came on the scene. He was jealous of our relationship and Katie eventually moved out.”

Katie texted Caley saying she missed the memorial event because she was in hospital.

But brother Christopher, 36, had said Katie had gone to Yorkshire. The raiders’ story had unravelled at the first hurdle – and Caley was on to them.

Without revealing her suspicions, Caley quizzed neighbours and learned the trio had been at her house that day.

One local called police after spotting them arguing outside. Forensics were called in and the three were arrested.

“I thought bingo, I’ve got them,” said Caley. “I was gutted a friend could have done such a horrible thing but at least I would get justice.”

But police dropped the case after Katie claimed to have a key to the property – explaining the DNA find.

Caley went on: “I was livid. I was not about to take this lying down. I hadn’t let on to Katie I knew she had been arrested and she was texting me as normal.

“It was a really difficult time. I wondered if the 10 years we shared as friends had ever meant anything to her.”

But things were to get worse. Weeks later Rodericks filed a civil claim against Caley for money he said she owed him.

Caley said: “I was furious. David had given Katie and I a loan as a rent deposit for the house but I paid it back. I knew he was behind my house being ransacked so I was determined not to pay a penny.”

As part of Rodericks’ claim, he supplied credit card statements which were sent on to Caley.

She spent hours going through them and realised many household items she and Katie had bought were paid for on Rodericks’ credit card.

Caley revealed: “I started to notice discrepancies. Katie and I had bought the TV which she said cost Sh528, 000 (£4,000), but on the statements it was clearly Sh23, 000 (£1,800).

“I delved deeper and deeper and was shocked. There were so many items she said we’d gone halves on that were cheaper than she claimed.

“That’s the catalyst moment when I snapped. I was not having this – no way!” Caley, now of Enfield, filed a counterclaim alleging Katie and Rodericks had conned her out of Sh3.896 million (£29,500). She won a civil court case and the pair were told to repay Sh792, 000 (£6,000) between them. Caley continued: “It was great and something to celebrate but they had still got away with wrecking my home.”

After sending police a bundle of evidence – backed up by witnesses who had seen the trio that day – the case was reopened.

Caley said: “Every time I found new evidence or someone who could strengthen the criminal case I’d call the police. They must have been fed up with me but I was determined to get justice. Police tracked their phone movements to the area of my house that day.

“If I hadn’t kept pushing I don’t think that would have happened.”

Katie, her brother and Rodericks eventually faced trial at Guildford Crown Court.

They denied criminal damage but were convicted, given 12 months of community service and ordered to pay Caley Sh204, 000 (£1,550) compensation each.

It ended a nightmare that tested Caley to the limit. She added: “I’m just glad I ­persevered. All those nights of poring over paperwork paid off in the long run.”

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