A prolific young criminal, who tried to burgle a house and handled a stolen car while on bail for possessing an offensive weapon, has been jailed for two years.

Timothy Jackson, 21, of Findon Terrace, Raven-scliffe, Bradford, was told by Judge Jonathan Rose he had a criminal record that took other offenders many years to acquire. Prosecutor Richard Wright said that on April 26 this year – just 12 days after a Community Order was imposed on him for making off without payment – Jackson was stopped by police in Fagley Lane.

He was then found to be in possession of a knuckle-duster. He was released on bail, but on May 15 he went to a house in Stanningley Road, Leeds, with three other youths and tried to break in.

The female occupant was disturbed and the intruders fled. Jackson was found to be in possession of gloves and a screwdriver.

On November 15, he was caught getting in a stolen Volkswagen Passat in Scarborough. He had been paid £100 to drive it away.

Nigel Hamilton, mitigating, admitted Jackson had an appalling record.