A MOTHER, her partner and teenage son have been jailed for what police called a “despicable” burglary in York.

Tammy Wharton, 38, denied burgling an Acomb house with Steven Gledhill, 32, and her 18-year-old son Oliver, just hours after the teenager was released from a young offenders’ institute.

Oliver Wharton, 18, admitted punching Susan Connor three times in the face when she returned to her Acomb home on May 7 to find him burgling her house.

This week, a jury decided Tammy Wharton and Steven Gledhill also fled the house, stepping over the woman as she lay bleeding.

York Crown Court heard the victim now suffers from anxiety, and none of the stolen items - which included medication, and iPod and jewellery - had ever been recovered.

Tammy Wharton wept as her son was sentenced and taken away by security, and was then sentenced to five years in prison herself.

Referring to Ms Wharton’s tears throughout the three-day trial, Recorder of York Judge Ashurst said: “I am satisfied those were crocodile tears.

“There is no element of remorse in your case. I accept you did not lay a finger on Mrs Connors, but on the other hand you bear a degree of responsibility for committing this offence with your 18-year-old son.”

Judge Ashurst said Oliver Wharton had a “dreadful record of offending”, and sentenced him to four-and-a-half years in a young offenders’ institute.

He said: “You are still a very young man and have been given countless opportunities by the youth court and crown court before and you have failed to take them.

“Within only a few hours of your arrival back in York, you were there with your mother and her partner committing a burglary.

“I have no doubt at all that you thought that was perhaps easy pickings for you.”

A probation report made before Oliver Wharton’s last jail sentence said he showed remorse not for his actions, but for the embarrassment associated with his capture, and said “he would never allow himself to be apprehended and restrained and would use any force necessary” to prevent that, which Judge Ashurst said he had done during the burglary.

Steven Gledhill was sentenced to four years in prison for the burglary, and six months for two other matters of theft which will be served concurrently Judge Ashurst told Ms Wharton and Gledhill: “You tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the wool over the eyes of the jury.”

Regarding Gledhill, he said: “There is some remorse, it’s a pity it’s so late in the day.

Speaking to Oliver Wharton, he said: “It is perfectly obvious you have received nothing by way of sensible advice from members of your family who ought to know better.”

Detective Constable Martin Hinchliffe of York CID said: “This incident was deeply upsetting for the victim and her family and it is an experience that will take some time to fully come to terms with. It is satisfying that the offenders have been made to face up to the consequences of their despicable actions and we hope the victim can take some comfort from the outcome at court.”