A PERSISTENT burglar who stole a pair of shotguns and went shooting on the moors has been sentenced to four years in a young offenders' institution.
Bradford Crown Court was told 18-year-old Christopher Collins broke into a house at Strines Lodge, High Flatts, in November last year, smashed open the gun cabinet and stole shotguns, an air pistol and live ammunition
He then went to Cartworth Moor, Holmfirth, with another 18-year-old, Christopher Doyle, and let off about 30 rounds.
The pair were arrested when police noticed their car parked near the moors. When they had a closer look they noticed the air pistol in the passenger foot-well.
Prosecutor Jayne Beckett told the court that Collins started committing burglaries when he was just 11-years-old.
Collins, of Oak Avenue, Brockholes, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, handling stolen goods and possession of a firearm without a licence.
He asked for a further nine offences of burglary to be taken into consideration.
Shabbir Merali, for Collins,
said: " The shotguns were stolen for them to shoot at a fence and for no other purpose and no other person was endangered by them."
Doyle, of Field House, Cinderhills, Holmfirth, denied he had any part in the burglary and said he never fired a gun.
He pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and possession of a firearm without a licence and was sentenced to six months in a young offender's institute.
