A 21-YEAR-OLD man who was part of a gang which burgled a semi-detached house in Ripponden has avoided a prison sentence after a judge heard he had a job offer.

Azeem Mahmood, of Stanley Road, Lockwood, was remanded in custody on Monday so that Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC could confirm the details of the employment and yesterday the judge said it was the offer of work which had saved him from being locked up for about 18 months.

Mahmood, who had no previous convictions, was said to have been mixing with the wrong crowd when he played a limited role in the break-in which took place in May.

In October four other men received prison sentences for their part in the burglary at the Old Saw Mill Cottages and other offences.

During the night-time attack on the occupied property a Volvo C70 car was also stolen.

Mahmood admitted his part in the offences, but Judge Durham Hall everyone was satisfied that he was out of his depth and being led on at the time.

Mahmood will be employed doing odd jobs related to clearing out properties and the judge told him he owed a great debt to the man who had offered him work in the new year.

“Don’t make this mistake again,” said the judge.

“What you did was wrong and wicked.”

As part of a 12-month community order Mahmood will be subject to supervision by the probation service and he must also undertake 150 hours’ unpaid work.

“There will be no second chance,” warned the judge.

“Any breach and you will be back before me and the proper sentence is 18 months or thereabouts so that's what you are looking at. Don’t come back again.”