A TEENAGE burglar who tried to attack a man with a wooden fencepost was jailed for three years on his 19th birthday.

Nathan Richard Hall appeared at York Crown Court on Friday to face charges of burglary, assault, affray, criminal damage and carrying a weapon, which all took place in Selby last year.

The court heard Hall, of no fixed abode, had broken into a development of flats at St Mary’s Old School in Gowthorpe in July last year, and stole copper piping from the site.

Chloe Hudson, prosecuting, told the court Hall was one of two men seen by a witness at the site, where between £5,000 and £10,000 worth of piping had been stolen.

Police investigators later found footprints at the scene of the crime which were matched with Hall’s when he was arrested for affray on August 1, 2011.

The court heard Hall had approached a man outside the European Food Store in Selby and demanded he hand over his shopping, before challenging the man to a fight.

Miss Hudson said the man ran away from the confrontation when he saw Hall swinging a plank of wood and threatening to hit him with it.

The court heard the man took refuge in a betting shop, and later found a three-inch dent in his car, caused by the fencepost.

The court heard Hall’s footprints were also found at the site of another burglary, at a house in Lilac Rise, Crosshill Lanes.

Recorder Ian Atherton said Hall was a “three strikes burglar”, before issuing the minimum sentence of three years.

Hall also received a 12-month sentence for the burglary of a dwelling, six months for affray, one month for criminal damage, and two months for possession of an offensive weapon, to be served concurrently.

Mr Atherton said Hall had “a lot to look forward to other than being a walking charge sheet”, and urged him to “grow up, serve your time, and come out and make a resolution to do something constructive”.