A “THIRD-STRIKE” burglar who stole £700 of items from the home of an 81-year-old woman has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Alan Dooley, 56, broke into the property in Knowle Top Road, Lightcliffe, and fled with goods including a cut glass condiment set, garden tools, and vintage bottles of whisky and sherry. He was caught after his blood was found on a door at the house.

Dooley, of Oxley Gardens, Low Moor, Bradford, was also sentenced for handling stolen goods after being caught with four passports stolen from a family in Jer Lane, Bradford.

When confronted by police, he assaulted a female officer by throwing a wheelie bin at her and trying to punch her twice.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye said Dooley’s record, which dated back to 1973, contained “offences covering everything on the spectrum of crime”.

Jailing Dooley (pictured), a drink and drugs addict, Judge David Hatton QC labelled him a “prolific burglar and habitual criminal.”