A DESPERATE drug addict who targeted elderly householders in Keighley and “ransacked” two other homes during a shocking crime spree has been jailed for four years.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Wednesday how concerned neighbours managed to film Rastislav Makula after a failed attempt to burgle the home of an 87-year-old woman while another of his victims was still too scared to return to her flat after he broke in and ate a meal before ransacking it.

The court was told that the 32-year-old Slovakian plasterer started taking drugs after a marriage breakdown and spent months living on the streets, but in March and April this year he turned to crime when he was desperate for money.

Prosecutor Rebecca Young outlined details of the catalogue of offences admitted by Makula, including house burglaries, attempted burglary, theft from a person and robbery.

Miss Young said the robbery offence was committed after Makula was caught in the act of removing glass from a woman’s dining room window.

He brazenly claimed to be fitting a new window and asked to come inside and while in the property he became involved in a struggle with his victim as she tried to stop him taking a wallet.

Miss Young said when the woman took out her mobile phone to call the police Makula snatched the device from her hand and fled the scene.

Makula’s spree came to an end after he burgled the home of a retired woman in Shann Avenue in April.

Miss Young said when the victim discovered Makula in her home he put his finger to his mouth to hush her as she called out to her husband. He was arrested a few days later after his fingerprints were found on a discarded jewellery box he had stolen from their home.

The Recorder of Bradford Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC described the offending as “persistent and brazen” and told Makula, of Cartmel Road, Keighley, that he had caused great harm, upset and fear through his selfish activities.

Barrister Robin Frieze, for Makula, said he had been living on the streets and occasionally with friends and had become desperate for money. His client’s life had taken a downward spiral and he was now bitterly ashamed of what he had done

Judge Durham Hall said he had to look at the overall picture in deciding the appropriate sentence and concluded that it was not a case for consecutive individual sentences however tempting that may be.

After jailing him for four years the judge told Makula:”You will serve two years, less time on remand and then you will be on licence.

“Your barrister says, and I have reflected (it), that you only turned to crime after personal trauma. I hope you don’t come back because the next sentence will be rather long indeed.”