One of the ringleaders of a burglary gang that stole cars worth £375,000 in just a few weeks has had his jail term cut on appeal.

John Robert Trotter was involved in 25 raids or attempted raids on houses in West Yorkshire - all committed in February 2014.

He admitted conspiracy to burgle, two other burglaries and aggravated vehicle taking, and asked for a string of burglaries to be taken into consideration by the court.

The 27-year-old, of Brendon Walk, Holme Wood, Bradford, was jailed for 10 years at Leeds Crown Court in December of the same year.

But his sentence has now been reduced to nine-and-a-half years by judges sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court - who said he deserved a cut for admitting his guilt.

The court heard Trotter was part of a gang who targeted properties in Bingley, Liversedge, Cleckheaton, Huddersfield and Halifax between 11 and 25 of February, 2014.

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Cars were driven from Bradford and equipment including tools, socks and gloves was taken to the scene.

A number of the raids were carried out while the homeowners, and their children, were sleeping in their beds.

Trotter admitted being involved in those raids and also asked for a further 13 offences, including 12 burglaries, to be taken into consideration.

He committed the offences after being released on bail for a burglary at a house in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, in which he stole a VW Golf from the drive after breaking in and taking the keys whilst the owner and her two children slept upstairs.

The car was later spotted on the M62 and was followed by officers, leading to a high-speed chase - during which Trotter drove at speeds of up to 100mph.

He eventually crashed the car into a telegraph pole on the Euroway Trading Estate, causing further distress for its owner, who had a disabled child, as it was written off.

Vehicles worth more than £200,000 were stolen as part of the conspiracy, while the raids Trotter asked to be taken into consideration involved thefts of cars worth more than £170,000 in total.

Allowing his appeal, Mr Justice Spencer said that Trotter’s crimes were serious and called for a stern sentence, but that the crown court judge should have taken more account of his admissions of guilt.

Sitting with Lord Justice Lindblom and Judge David Stockdale QC, he added: “In total, he was admitting involvement in 25 offences, in which property worth more than £375,000 was stolen.”