A judge has advised a 37-year-old criminal to avoid Keighley 'like the plague' after jailing him.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Keighley man David Moyles had been committing offences in the area since he was 11.

But his barrister Gerald Hendron said Moyles had tried to set up a new life for himself in Milton Keynes after being released from a three-year prison sentence in May last year.

He got a £350-a-week labouring job and was living with his brother until August when he was told to leave.

Mr Hendron said: "Rather foolishly he returned to Keigh-ley, lost contact with the probation officer supervising him on licence and very soon got back with his old friends.

"He was again committing offences to pay for crack coc-aine."

On Tuesday Moyles, of no fixed abode, admitted offences of theft and handling stolen goods and was jailed for a total of 30 months.

Judge Gerald Coles said: "I don't know when I last saw a record as long as this."

After Mr Hendron indicated that his client wanted to return to the Milton Keynes area following his release, Judge Coles told him: "I hope you will avoid Keighley like the plague and go back to Milton Keynes to start afresh."

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