A MAN aged 25 has been jailed for 12 months for burgling a house at night.

Thomas Saville, of York Crescent, Bingley, pleaded guilty to the offence in Foulds Terrace in the town on February 9 and to attempting to burgle a nearby home on the same night.

Saville was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court today on a video link to Leeds Prison where he is currently serving a ten-month sentence for burgling a house in Shipley.

The court heard that Saville and an accomplice were seen in the area with a metal bar shortly before the back door of the unoccupied property was kicked open and the house ransacked.

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They made off with items including a laptop computer, jewellery and a mountain bike but abandoned their £1,500 haul.

The police were quickly on the scene and Saville and his accomplice were apprehended.

One of the victims was so distressed that she could not sleep, did not feel safe in the house and had since moved, the court heard.

All the stolen property was recovered.

Saville had 35 previous convictions for 70 offences, including theft, handling stolen goods and house burglary.

Sergeant Terri Green, of the Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "This is a great example of how trying a door handle, which is locked, with the intention to enter and steal is a crime and is treated as an attempted burglary.

"This is why I push for reporting suspicious persons trying door handles whether it be car or houses on 999."

"Officers have worked tirelessly targeting Saville, as we suspected he was involved in burglary. Of course, obtaining evidence and a conviction is always our priority. We also look at how we can tackle his offending in more innovative ways.

"He was recalled to prison as a result of officers evidencing poor behaviour and his failure to attend appointments with his probation. He was serving a 10-month sentence for burglary.

"This is far from job done. The work now begins to try to rehabilitate him."

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