A MAN who smashed his way into a supermarket at night to plunder £930 of scratchcards was later caught on camera trying to cash in 32 winning tickets.

Andrew Harvey and his accomplice broke into the Co-op in Denholme Gate Road, Hipperholme, near Brighouse, on May 18 last year, Bradford Crown Court heard.

After grabbing the scratchcards, they attempted to raid cigarettes as well but were foiled by the store’s fog machine, prosecutor Georgina Goring said.

Father-of-seven Harvey, 43, of Warton Avenue, Bierley, Bradford, pleaded guilty to burgling the supermarket and jumping his bail by not staying at the magistrates’ court for his trial.

He was jailed for a total of 13 months yesterday by the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC.

Miss Goring said the Co-op was burgled shortly after midnight after men were seen arriving at the store in a vehicle.

The intruders made off with four boxes of scratchcards, leaving behind a crowbar and screwdriver they had used to smash their way into the shop.

Harvey was linked to the crime by DNA evidence on the tools and then caught on CCTV trying to cash in his ill-gotten gains from 32 of the stolen cards, Miss Goring told the court.

Judge Thomas asked what the winnings totalled but Miss Goring said she did not have that information.

Harvey was charged with a Bail Act offence after attending Calderdale Magistrates’ Court for his burglary trial but then leaving before the case started.

He was convicted in his absence and arrested and kept in custody.

Harvey was sentenced on a video link to Leeds Prison.

His solicitor advocate, Victoria Molloy, said he was taken ill at the magistrates’ court and an adjournment was applied for but refused.

Harvey had a criminal record for house-breaking and non-dwelling-house burglaries, the court was told.

He had served prison sentences in the past, including a five-year stretch in 2005 and two and a half years in 2011.

Miss Goring said he had eight offences of non-dwelling burglary on his record.

Judge Thomas sentenced Harvey to 12 months’ imprisonment for the burglary.

He said it was a pre-planned offence, committed at night, with others.

The raiders got away with the best part of £1,000-worth of scratchcards, the judge said.

Judge Thomas sentenced Harvey to a month in jail, to run consecutively, for the breach of bail offence.