A BURGLAR who was caught stealing a pouch of tobacco from a house in York has been sent to jail for more than two years.

Daniel Pullman, 23, pleaded guilty to burglary at York Crown Court, via video link from Hull Prison, as he had committed the crime on Saturday, April 26 while on licence, just weeks after being released from prison.

Laurie Scott, prosecuting, told the court the owner of a house in Severn Green, Nether Poppleton, woke up just before 2am and went into his kitchen where he found Pullman, who quickly left the property.

The court heard that police dog handlers were called out to the incident, and Pullman was found nearby with the pouch of tobacco.

Victoria Smith-Swain, for Pullman, said that the incident took place so quickly that the outside security light was still on as Pullman made his escape from the property.

The defendant had been living in a probation hostel in West Yorkshire after he was released from prison in March, however he “had returned to heavy drinking upon his release, as has been the case on previous occasions”.

She added: “He had been binge drinking to excess and accepts this is an underlying cause of much of his offending.”

Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Pullman that if he had not pleaded guilty and the case had gone to trial, he could have faced three years in prison.

Sentencing Pullman to 27 months in jail, he said: “It is very depressing for this court to have no alternative than to send a 23-year-old back to prison.

“You have had a troubled background and also an addiction to alcohol since you were a very young man indeed, but over the years you have racked up many serious convictions on your record and this is the second time that you are to be sentenced for dwelling house burglary.”

He added: “Your case is aggravated by the fact you have previous convictions for burglary, you were on licence at the time and the offence happened in the very early hours of the morning when all householders are vulnerable.”