Three men caught driving on remote moorland at dead of night fully equipped with a “sinister” burglars’ cache have been sentenced at Bradford Crown Court.

“Career criminal” Wayne Pogson, who has a 24-page record of offences, was jailed for two and a half years.

Stewart Blezard, whose criminal record stretches to ten pages, was locked up for 15 months.

Anthony Best, who had no previous convictions, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work.

All three pleaded guilty to going equipped for burglary on November 10 last year.

Prosecutor Simon Haring said police followed a Vauxhall Astra containing the men after spotting it on Halifax Road, on the moors above Bradford, at 2am.

They followed it and stopped it on Brighouse Road, Queensbury.

A search of the vehicle led to officers seizing a crowbar, screwdrivers, molegrips, gloves and balaclava masks. All three men were arrested and made no comment in their police interviews. Mr Haring said that Pogson, 30, of Bude Street, West Bowling, Bradford, had committed 141 offences including theft, aggravated vehicle taking and burglary.

Blezard, 33, of Elwy Street, Rhyl, North Wales, had previous convictions for dishonesty, violence and drugs offences.

Best, 25, of Rhodesway, Allerton, Bradford, admitted dishonestly handling the key to a stolen BMW car.

Pogson’s solicitor advocate, Ashok Khullar, said he had a stable relationship with his partner and they had two children. He wanted to make a fresh start and he was not beyond redemption. Jayne Beckett, for Blezard, said he had three children and had begun a new life in North Wales, where he helped the police with an offender project.

Philip Ainge, for Best, said he was bringing up his three children alone after the tragic death of his partner.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC labelled Pogson a career criminal with an appalling record.

All three men were fully equipped with a sinister array of burgling tools when the police caught them out at night, he said.