A PERSISTENT Bradford burglar, with no home and no income, was ordered to pay more than £1,000 in court charges under new rules, after admitting his latest offence.

Nathan Simpson, 30, was jailed for four years by the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC.

It is thought to be the first time the Courts Charge has been imposed in Yorkshire and one of the first cases in the country.

Under new legislation, which came into force on April 13, Judge Thomas had to impose a £900 Criminal Courts Charge on Simpson, as well as a statutory £120 Victim Surcharge.

He ordered the defendant to pay at £5 a week when he is released from his sentence.

The Criminal Courts Charge was introduced by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling to make offenders contribute directly to court costs. It is in addition to fines, compensation orders and the defendant's own legal charges.

But organisations like the Magistrates Association have warned the charge could place a burden on people with little income.

Simpson pleaded guilty to burglary at a preliminary hearing via video link at Bradford Crown Court.

He broke into a house, with an accomplice, in Greenland Avenue, Queensbury, at 12.35am on April 14 - hours after the new legislation came into force - and stole vehicle keys.

The villains were spotted acting suspiciously outside by a neighbour who alerted police. Simpson was arrested after a struggle and handcuffed, but ran off. He was chased by officers who were able to detain him.

Simpson, who was originally from the Canterbury area of Bradford, and had links to Little Horton, Eccleshill, Cottingley and Undercliffe, had numerous previous convictions, was a 'third strike' burglar and was on licence at the time of the latest offence.

On Wednesday, he was jailed for four years for burglary, with a concurrent sentence for the escape offence.

His barrister David McGonigal, of Broadway Chambers in Bradford, said after the case that Simpson had no income whatsoever, but the judge had no discretion when making the Criminal Courts Charge.

Mr McGonigal said: "I suggested the charge was wholly unjust, but the judge had no choice in the matter. Simpson does not have any means, no income, no benefits, and is of no fixed address. When he was asked how he was going to pay, he just laughed.

"This is the first case of its type I have dealt with, but there will be plenty more to come. It doesn't seem right to impose a penalty without considering the financial or personal circumstances of the defendant, but that is the new law."