A SHIPLEY man who broke into a narrow boat on the canal at Skipton being used by Australian holidaymakers will be sentenced at crown court.

Connor Wilford, 19, used bolt croppers to cut a padlock on the 'Hum Drum' boat, before going inside and taking various items, including Australian currency, a handbag, a laptop, a camera and a purse, heard Skipton Magistrates Court on Friday.

Prosecuting, Melanie Ibbotson, said the narrowboat had been moored close to Skipton and the three holidaymakers had secured it, before leaving it at 6.30pm on October 10 to walk the short distance into town.

Less than an hour later, a police officer, walking along the towpath, had seen a male acting suspiciously, and then again, running along a ginnel heading towards Tesco Supermarket.

The officer got hold of the male, who turned out to be Wilford, who was carrying a bag containing a pair of bolt croppers, and items taken from the narrow boat.

Miss Ibbotson said when Wilford was interviewed by police he initially declined to comment, but after being shown CCTV said he had needed the bolt croppers to cut the lock off a friend's bike.

Wilford, of Bradford Road, Shipley, who admitted burglary, was in fear of being sent to prison, the court was told.

In mitigation, Shamyla Aslam said Wilford was easily manipulated but had taken steps to distance himself from old associates.

He had been working voluntarily on a farm and hoped to start a course to do with animals at Bradford College later in the year.

Wilford was sent to Bradford Crown Court for sentencing on August 10.