A burglar has been jailed for 32 months after he broke into a Huddersfield pensioner’s house while she was in a nursing home.

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday how Ian George Smith climbed on to a coal house and tried to get into the property at Benomley Crescent, Almondbury, by removing the double glazed window upstairs with a screwdriver.

When that did not work, Smith, of Heysham Drive, Bradford, smashed it, cutting himself and leaving blood behind, from which his DNA was later traced, Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, told the court.

He stole a TV and Lladro ornaments belonging to the 92-year-old householder and which he later admitted selling to get money for cash for drugs.

James Bourne-Arton, representing Smith, 41, said after being addicted to heroin for 20 years he had started to get his life together after his last release from custody.

Smith admitted the burglary on August 31 and asked for 13 other offences of theft and dishonesty to be taken into consideration.