BROKEN leg or no broken leg, burglar David Telford did a runner from hospital after police arrested him on warrant, a court heard.

Nick Worsley, prosecuting, said that the raider nipped out the back door of a ward while police officers examined X-rays of his leg near the front door.

"I couldn't believe they just left me on my own," Telford told their colleagues when he was caught the next day. "I couldn't resist the temptation. I had to run away you would, wouldn't you."

Mr Worsley said the police had taken Telford to hospital because he said his leg was hurting. He had broken it falling off a roof a month earlier when a pub landlady spotted him burgling her home.

Telford, 22, no fixed address, was jailed for two years and eight months on top of the three months he is already serving for jumping bail.

He admitted burglary, possession of heroin and escape from custody and asked for three thefts to be taken into consideration.

Mr Worsley said Telford's latest run-ins with the police began when he was arrested at the McArthur Glen Shopping Outlet. He was high on something and claimed the four heroin wraps in his pocket were dirt picked up in a friend's garden.

Released on bail on May 15, he climbed up to a flat roof next to the window of the private living quarters of The Friendship Inn in Millgate, Selby, and grabbed a box containing watches and jewellery worth £2,000. But his noise alerted the residents, they raised the alarm and he fell from the roof, breaking his leg. Released on bail again, he failed to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest. On June 18, he was caught in Selby and claimed his leg was hurting. Officers took him to York Hospital, put him in what they believed was a secure ward and watched its front door. But the back door was unlocked and as they were distracted by the X-rays, he left in a hurry.

For Telford, Catherine Duffy said Telford broke the law to fund his heroin habit. The escape was not sophisticated. He had needed two plates inserting into his leg..

"Serves him right," said the Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman.