A WOMAN burglar has been jailed after police arrested her following two early morning offences.

And a court heard it was a “third strike” crime for Paula Donoghue – who was on licence after a previous crime.

Leeds Crown Court heard a resident in Bridgecroft, Milnsbridge , who was having trouble sleeping got up to investigate after hearing her outhouse door being opened around 3am on February 20.

She saw a woman wearing a black hat and gloves and dark jacket come out and then shine a torch towards the back door of the house.

She shouted to ask if she could help her and the woman claimed to have been looking for where her mother lived before walking off.

But the occupant then saw a man in a black ski mask and dark clothing enter through the gate.

When he realised he had been seen he left shouting abuse.

The householder called police and they discovered the outhouse lock had been prised open and a radio controlled helicopter stolen.

A male figure was seen to run off but Paula Donoghue was found nearby.

She gave police a false name and address and she was found to have a jacket, two mobile phones, two bank cards and a television licence card which had been stolen earlier that night in a burglary at a house in Balmfords Yard West, Huddersfield.

The occupant there had fallen asleep in his living room with his front door closed but unlocked and was unaware of a burglary until the next morning. Donoghue’s home was searched and the helicopter was then also recovered.

Adam Birkby, representing her, said she did not accept going inside the house in Balmfords Yard but was with somebody who did and who passed on the property to her.

Donoghue, 36, of Manchester Road, Milnsbridge, was jailed for 876 days, the minimum three year sentence for a third strike house burglar minus 20% off for a guilty plea.

Jailing her Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said it was an aggravating feature of the case that Donoghue was on licence at the time of the offences.