Jackson, 32, admitted breaking in and taking a safe containing about £1,200.
He had worked for the garage in Grandes Maisons Road, St Sampson’s, on a casual basis for a few weeks prior to the offence, and on the day in question CCTV had caught him riding his bike around the back of the property, with his mobile connecting to the garage WiFi at the same time.
At about 1.30am that night he had returned carrying a crowbar-like implement and broke into the building through a back door.
He went upstairs and forced the door on the office before removing the safe.
The CCTV was poor quality and it was also hard to identify Jackson due to the low light, but after seizing his phone, police saw that it had connected to the WiFi again at the same time as the burglary.
When first interviewed, Jackson did not have his mobile phone on him, but it was seized some weeks later after he was arrested on another matter.
A message to a contact saying ‘I’ve got the dough’ was found to have been sent soon after the burglary.
In addition, messages were found indicating that he had been dealing in gabapentin, a class C drug.
Jackson pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of the drug to another.
Crown Advocate Chris Dunford, prosecuting, said the safe had not been returned to the garage but there was no claim for compensation.
Jackson had a number of previous convictions, including for burglary and drug possession.
The burglary was a ‘shameworthy and mean offence,’ said Advocate Sara Mallett, defending, and had come after Jackson had been in a position of trust, working for the garage’s owners.
It had occurred off the back of a spiral of drugs misuse, she said.
Jackson offered no excuse for what he had done, which had been relatively opportunistic.
The drug supply offence was not a sophisticated one and was limited to only two people.
Since being on remand in prison, Jackson had undertaken education and a course to try to address his drug dependence issue. There was a possibility of a diagnosis of Tourette’s Syndrome, which could explain his impulsive behaviour. He intended to strive towards a drug-free future.
Lt-Bailiff Russell Finch said the breach of trust had been a key aggravating factor in the court’s sentencing.
‘We regard this as a serious betrayal on your part of the chance you were given and, in Guernsey terms, this was a substantial offence.’
As well as two-and-a-half years for the burglary, an additional year in prison was handed down for the drugs offence, taking the total prison term to three-and-a-half years.
The start of the sentence was backdated to 19 November 2025, when Jackson was taken into custody.