THE manager of a Bradford city centre pub feared that a burglar was going to smash a glass jar in her face when she found him crouching behind the bar with a hammer.

Prolific criminal Andrew Parrington and two accomplices woke the woman and her partner by smashing windows at The Drum Winder on Ivegate at 7am on December 4 last year.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye told Bradford Crown Court today that homeless Parrington, 31, had broken into the pub with the hammer while the other two males were caught looking in through a shattered window. They ran off but the manager was shocked to discover Parrington crouching with the hammer behind the badly damaged bar area.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The bar where he was found hiding The bar where he was found hiding (Image: T&A)

He walked towards her holding the glass tip jar and a tin, demanding: ‘What are you going to do about it?’ Miss Kaye told the court.

She feared that he was going to smash the glass in her face.

Her partner then grappled with Parrington who smashed a window to make good his escape.

The till had been severely damaged, the bar area was in a mess and Parrington’s blood had been left at the scene.

It was estimated that the break-in had caused £1,000 damage as well as loss of takings when the pub had to shut for a while in the busy Christmas period.

Bloodied gloves and a hoodie were seized by the police a short distance away.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Parrington's police custody photograph Parrington's police custody photograph (Image: Police)

Parrington was arrested and was ‘irate’ with interviewing police officers, saying he smashed his way into the pub to get drunk.

Miss Kaye said he was a convicted three-strike housebreaker whose long criminal record also included assault, damage, witness intimidation, harassment and shoplifting.

He was on licence at the time and was sentenced on a video link to HMP Leeds where he was remanded in custody.

He pleaded guilty to burglary by entering the pub as a trespasser with intent to steal.

His solicitor advocate, Saf Salam, said Parrington was living in a tent under the arches near Forster Square Railway Station at the time.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The arches at Forster Square where Parrington had been living in a tent. Picture by Gary Allan The arches at Forster Square where Parrington had been living in a tent. Picture by Gary Allan

He was addicted to Class A drugs when he joined his two accomplices in smashing the pub windows with a hammer.

Mr Salam said they were bound to be discovered because of the noise of the shattered glass close to residential accommodation.

Judge Jonathan Gibson jailed Parrington for 20 months.

He asked the court clerk to mute him because he kept talking over his sentencing remarks.