A “three strikes” house burglar who attempted to break into a friend’s home to fund his heroin addiction was today jailed for 876 days.

Darren McCrory, 39, of no fixed address, had a long history of raiding other people’s property, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

He pleaded guilty to burgling a home in Downey Road, Little Horton, Bradford, on August 26 and stealing a key, games console and hair straighteners, together worth £55.

McCrory, who was brought to court in custody, also admitted attempting to burgle a flat in Tudor Court, Swarland Grove, Broomfields, Bradford, on August 17.

He also asked for six further offences of burglary and theft to be taken into consideration.

Prosecutor Kathryn Pitters said McCrory was caught by the police with molegrips, a hammer and a screwdriver outside the Tudor Court flat at 10.45pm.

The court heard the occupant, a friend of his, had allowed him in to socialise earlier that day.

But the man became suspicious that McCrory was eyeing up his belongings and asked a neighbour to keep watch in case he came back later.

While on bail for that offence, McCrory burgled a woman’s home in Downey Road, doing £200 damage.

He told the police the crimes were to fund his heroin addiction.

McCrory’s solicitor advocate, Philip Ainge, said he handed himself in to the police and had been very frank with officers, confessing to his other offences under the force’s ‘clean slate’ provision.