A burglar who left an elderly couple traumatised after breaking into their Huddersfield home in the middle of the night, has been locked up for three years.

Leeds Crown Court heard the couple, in their 80s both had health problems and had to be given treatment by paramedics after their ordeal at the hands of Martin David Ingham in October.

Robert Galley prosecuting told the court they had gone to bed in their home in Wakefield Road, Lepton, when they were disturbed by loud banging.

The man got up but could not see anything. About three quarters of an hour later he heard the sound of scraping and again looked out without spotting anything but within minutes the burglar alarm was activated.

Mr Galley said the man grabbed his wife’s walking stick to go down and investigate fearing someone was in the house.

He found the living room and kitchen lights on and the doors ajar. When he looked into the kitchen he could see the window had been smashed and there was glass all over the floor.

He returned upstairs and activated his wife’s care alarm to summon help and the police and an ambulance was despatched.

Mr Galley told the court the pensioner was particularly concerned for his wife who was in a state knowing somebody had been in their home, but he also had a heart condition and both had to have health checks. He later realised a mobile phone worth £50 given to them by their son was missing.

Two footwear marks were found were found which later matched the trainers belonging to Ingham when he was arrested after he was identified from some CCTV in the area.

He was shown walking past the property with his father who was using a crutch and then later returning to it alone several times carrying the crutch himself which was believed to have been used in damaging the window.

The court heard Ingham had three previous convictions for house burglary making him liable for a minimum sentence.

Since the intrusion into their home the pensioner said his wife was terrified by any little noise in and did not even want to go out to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Ken Green representing Ingham said he felt genuine remorse about the effect on the couple and was disgusted at himself. He had been frank with the police since and admitted other offences.

Ingham, 20 of Oak Tree Road, Fenay Bridge, admitted the burglary and asked for 10 other offences including four house burglaries to be taken into consideration.

He was sent to a young offenders’ institution for three years,