A DRUG addict whose crimes drove an anxious householder out of his home has been jailed for a total of six years.

Matthew Singh’s 15-day crime-spree last month began with a robbery at the home of 52-year-old Christopher Hollis after he offered to let him use his landline phone because he was “freezing” and desperate for money.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Singh, 23, was offered some change towards a taxi fare, but he became threatening and demanded more cash.

Mr Hollis handed over £25 and his bank cards and Singh even returned to his victim’s home to demand his PIN details before using a card to withdraw more cash.

The court heard yesterday that Mr Hollis had been the victim of a burglary in the past, but about two weeks after the robbery Singh was caught red-handed in his home again after police were alerted.

The kitchen door had been broken down and Singh was arrested in the house with the help of a police dog.

In the days between those two offences Singh had committed five offences of robbery or attempted robbery relating to four men he had confronted in the street in Saltaire, Shipley and Frizinghall. Prosecutor Robert Galley said the incidents involved demands for phones or money and one occasion Singh had even suggested to a member of the public that he was the carer for one of the men he was actually robbing.

Singh, of Aireville Avenue, Frizinghall, Bradford, appeared via a video link to HMP Leeds and pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, attempted robbery, fraud and burglary with intent to steal.

In a victim impact statement Mr Hollis described feeling worried and scared that Singh might come back to his home and the Recorder of Bradford Judge Roger Thomas QC noted that the complainant had moved out following the offences.

“There’s a statement from him which gives some insight into the consequences of your offending against him because at the beginning of February he was so frightened by what had happened that he had moved out of his own house and gone to live elsewhere,” the judge told Singh.

Judge Thomas said Singh had “tricked” his way into Mr Hollis’ home and it must have been a terrifying experience for the complainant.

He said Mr Hollis had effectively been “driven out of his house” by Singh’s activities and added: “This is a serious catalogue of offences and that level of sentence is appropriate in your case."

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