A SO-CALLED “third strike” burglar is starting a prison sentence less than three weeks after he broke into an occupied house in Sheepridge.
Lee Taylor, 21, of Sherwood Avenue, Bradley, was arrested and charged earlier this month after his blood was found at the scene of the night-time burglary in Ashbrow Road.
Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Taylor was seen with other men acting suspiciously by a neighbour, but the sleeping occupant of the burgled property was unaware of the break-in.
Nothing was stolen in the burglary on October 3 and Taylor was arrested eight days later.
Yesterday he appeared at the crown court for a preliminary hearing but after discussions with his barrister Taylor decided to enter a guilty plea to the burglary charge.
Judge John Potter was told that Taylor had previous convictions for house burglary in 2005 and 2010 and was therefore eligible for the prescribed minimum sentence of three years in jail.
Taylor’s early guilty plea meant the judge was able to give him the full 20% discount on the minimum jail term and he was sentenced to 876 days in custody.
In passing the minimum sentence Judge Potter said he had taken account of the fact that there had been no confrontation with the householder during the burglary and no ransacking of the property.
