An habitual burglar who stole wine and cheese after smashing his way into a college, a school, and businesses has been locked up for nearly a year.

Prosecutor James Holding told Bradford Crown Court how Alex McPherson embarked on a spate of burglaries in Halifax whilst on licence for a previous break-in at St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College in Bradford.

When caught after his final break-in he was in possession of “a large quantity of cheese”.

He was captured on CCTV after breaking a window and climbing into St Bede’s kitchen store at around 7pm on December 4 last year.

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College was among his targets (Image: Google)

He fled when an alarm sounded, which drew the attention of the caretaker – but not before leaving his blood on a large tub of mayonnaise.

Over a nine-day period between April 19 and 28 this year McPherson embarked on a spree of burglaries targeting businesses in Halifax.

He used a paving slab to smash a window at Credit Resource Solutions in Halifax, making off with a computer monitor. He was arrested later that day after being seen “acting suspiciously” in Halifax town centre whilst carrying the monitor in question.

At around 11.30pm on April 26 he smashed a window with a brick to enter a branch of Pizza Hut on Charleston Road, stealing four bottles of red wine and a music tablet.

He returned two days later with a crate which he used to gain access, broke a window again and stole 12 bottles of Pepsi Max and a packet of ice cream mix.

Both incidents were captured on CCTV.

At 1.25am on April 28 he tried to break into Marks and Spencer in Woolshops using a shopping trolley to ram a window followed by a concrete block but was unsuccessful. He was recognised from CCTV as he was wearing the same clothing from his burglary on April 19.

Just over an hour later he smashed a window to break into the hall and kitchen at Holy Trinity Primary School on Savile Park Road from which he took two 6kg bags of cheese.

He was again identified from blood left behind at the scene.

Mr Holding said: “Later that day the defendant was located by police officers … and was found in possession of a large quantity of cheese.

“He told officers that the cheese had been given to him by his mother. The value of the stolen cheese was £66.”

The total cost of the damage caused across all sites was more than £3,000.

In an interview McPherson answered “no comment” to all questions. He later pleaded guilty to all matters.

Mitigating, Henry Fernandez said McPherson said his behaviour was as a result of schizophrenia, though he had not been formally diagnosed, for which he was taking medication.

He said: “He tells me that at the time of these offences he was off his medication, does not remember [the offences], and that he also suffers from a cocaine addiction.

“He tells me that it is this combination, being off his medication and the cocaine addiction, that led to the offences.”

Sentencing McPherson to a total of 10 months imprisonment, Mrs Recorder Taryn Turner said he had “an unhealthy and unattractive criminal record”.

She added: “You are an habitual offender. I hope that a period in custody now will give you some support and some help, and indeed you can tackle your drug misuse.”