A Porsche Boxster worth more than £30,000 was among cars taken by a 20-year-old burglar who broke into homes in Bradford and Halifax during a two-month crime spree.

The sports car, taken from a home in Hipperholme, was never recovered and Bradford Crown Court heard that a few days later Jason Hammerton took an £11,000 Saab from outside a house in Shibden, Halifax, and sold it for £350.

Hammerton, of Carr House Lane, Wyke, was sent to a young offenders' institution for three years and nine months. The court heard that he was already on licence from a previous sentence when he committed his latest crimes in June and July.

Prosecutor Heather Weir told the court how Hammerton and a youth broke into a house in Shelf at the end of June while the owners were asleep and drove off in an Audi, which had a large quantity of medication in the boot.

Mrs Weir said Hammerton, whose nickname is Goofy J, tried to sell the drugs in a shop.

On July 14 Hammerton burgled another home in Shibden while the householder was in bed. She was disturbed at about 5am and discovered that a stone had been thrown through a double-glazed window and the keys to her Saab had been taken.

Hammerton was seen later that day driving the distinctive yellow car, but he was not arrested until six days later.

He admitted that he had thrown a brick through the window after seeing the car keys on the window sill.

Hammerton admitted two charges of burglary and asked for 14 other offences of burglary, theft and taking cars without consent to be taken into consideration.

Barrister Anthony Kelbrick estimated that his client's offending involved property and damage totalling over £80,000, with the Porsche making up £34,000 of that.

Judge Rodney Grant said there must be some element of deterrent in his sentencing of Hammerton. He ordered that he should serve nine months in custody in relation to his outstanding sentence and then a further three years for the latest series of offences.