Bradford man jailed for trying to burgle three houses on same night

Bradford Crown Court heard how Luke Brandon was part of a three-man gang that targeted houses in Moorside Gardens, Eccleshill, in the early hours of January 7 this year.

Prosecutor Verity Barnes said the trio tried to gain access to three houses during a 90-minute period between 12.30am and 2am.

All three homes had door locks tampered with or damaged, and all three were occupied at the time.

Brandon (Image: West Yorkshire Police)

One property was fitted with CCTV, which was activated when the owner heard his dog barking.

Miss Barnes said: “He saw three males enter the garden via a side door near to the property. The defendant was seen to be looking directly into the address.”

Brandon, 24, of Fencote Crescent, Bradford, was arrested on January 9. During a police interview he answered “no comment” to all questions.

Bradford Crown Court 

He initially pleaded not guilty and was set to go to trial on July 4, but later changed his plea to guilty.

The court heard how he has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2015 for offences including burglary and theft.

He was on licence at the time of the attempted burglaries.

Mitigating for Brandon, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, Samreen Akhtar accepted he had an “unimpressive” criminal record but that he had expressed remorse for his actions.

She said: “He now acknowledges how frightening an experience his offending would have been for the homeowners affected, not least because there were females at the various addresses at nighttime.”

Sentencing Brandon, Mrs Recorder Taryn Turner said: “You appear before me for sentenced in respect of three attempted break-ins into people’s houses overnight at a time – and this is not without significance – when all those homes were being occupied.

“You were part of a team; there were three of you, but only one of you has been brought to justice. These were, therefore, some [examples of] planned offending.

“Your offending is aggravated by your record of previous convictions. It is striking that you were on licence at the time.”

She sentenced Brandon to 20 months in prison for each of the three attempted burglaries, all to run concurrently, and imposed a restraining order that prohibits him from entering Moorside Gardens for a period of five years.

He will serve half that time in custody and the remainder on licence. Time spent on remand will count towards his sentence.