A woman slept in her Kirkheaton home unaware she had been burgled while police were pursuing her car which had been taken by the intruders.

Lisa McLeod had gone to bed around 10.30pm on February 4 at her address in Ryedale, Kirkheaton, leaving her silver Golf car secure on the drive, Leeds Crown Court heard.

But by 2am the following morning at least one burglar had got into the house and stolen a Samsung tablet and the car keys from the kitchen.

At 2.08am a police constable and special constable on patrol on the M62 noticed the car travelling at excessive speed for the wet conditions near junction 26 but when it slowed they were not intending to pursue it.

However, when they then saw it suddenly swerve in front of a lorry and leave the motorway they decided to follow, Richard Walters prosecuting told the court yesterday.

At that stage they were not signalling for it to stop but when it continued across the Chain Bar roundabout and again swerved across the solid white lines joining the M606 they intended to do so.

However, the road was then reduced to one lane because of roadworks and they were held up by an HGV. They then saw the Golf doing 70mph in Wharfedale Road, Bradford which was limited to 30mph.

When it suddenly braked and did a U turn, concerned for the danger posed by the manner of the driving the officer took the decision to hit it with the police vehicle to bring it to a stop.

That action pinned the Golf between a lamp post and a telegraph pole jamming the passenger door. The driver got out and ran off but the passenger Adam McAvan was not able to follow and was arrested refusing to name his accomplice.

The stolen tablet was found in the vehicle as was a balaclava and the news was then broken to the householder about the burglary. The court heard McAvan was liable for a minimum sentence because of previous convictions for burglary.

Arshad Mahmood representing McAvan said he had managed to keep out of trouble for a time while working and in a relationship. But he had then lost that work and was unemployed for about six months.

He was desperate for money and foolishly when approached to go along with the other man that night did so. Fortunately there was no confrontation with the householder. He was also fortunate not to be seriously injured as a result of the driving.

“He knows he has let his family down,” said Mr Mahmood.

McAvan, 25 of Somerton Drive, Holmewood, Bradford, admitted burglary and aggravated vehicle taking. He was jailed for four years and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Sentencing him Judge James Spencer QC said the burglary had clearly been planned and was aggravated by the fact the householder was in bed at the time.

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news.

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App here, the FREE Examiner Android App here or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking here

To follow us on Twitter click here