A burglar has been jailed for four years after he was convicted of a raid on a house in Clayton West.

Daniel Peter Geddes was unanimously found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday (Friday) of the burglary in the early hours of March 2 at the address in the High Street and of theft of the occupant’s Ford S-Max car.

A second defendant, Simon Andrew Mitchell, had already admitted both charges.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Malcolm Davis-White QC said the occupier was in bed by 11pm on the evening of March 1 and got up the following morning to find his home had been entered.

Daniel Peter Geddes

His wallet, laptops and the keys to his car had been stolen and the vehicle driven away from where it had been left parked outside. A child was in the house at the time of the offence.

The judge said Mitchell had given evidence at the trial that he was to blame and that Geddes was not present but the jury had not believed that version, and were satisfied that Geddes was involved.

The court heard the car was subsequently traced and recovered but the judge said “it was no thanks to either of you.”

After the verdicts the jury heard Geddes had 28 convictions for 63 offences including 12 previous burglaries. Mitchell had 33 convictions for 60 offences, the majority of which were theft and he had no previous for burglary.

John Bottomley, defending Geddes, said entry to the house had been through an insecure window and the search and disturbance was limited inside the house.

Simon Mitchell

Richard Holland for Mitchell said although he had an unenviable record, a burglary was “an escalation” in crime. His usual offences were shoplifting to fund his drug habit.

He had given the evidence at trial after coming under pressure in prison to “take the rap” for Geddes and his plea indicated some remorse.

Geddes, 41 of Crown Street, Brighouse, was jailed for four years for burglary and theft of the car and given a further one month consecutive for handling a television set stolen in another burglary.

Mitchell, 44 of Millroyd Mill, Huddersfield Road, Brighouse was jailed for a total of two years six months.