A night-time burglar who smashed his way into a Bradford primary school to steal 12 laptop computers has been jailed for two years.

Adam Robinson and his accomplice caused loss and damage totalling more than £11,000 when they broke into a roller-shutter security cabinet to raid computers used by pupils on a daily basis.

Robinson, 34, of Collbrook Avenue, Wibsey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to burgling Lidget Green Primary School, on Birks Fold Road.

The break-in happened late on December 5 last year, the court heard.

Prosecutor, Emma Downing, said that Robinson and another man were caught on CCTV forcing their way into the school.

They did so by shattering a glass panel in a rear door of the building.

The pair then attacked the locked cabinet in the information technology suite to make off with the computers.

The court was told that those computers were worth a total of £5,760.

The bill for the damage was £5,367, Bradford Crown Court heard on Monday.

Miss Downing said that Robinson was caught after a DNA match was made to blood he left at the scene when the glass door panel was broken.

He was arrested on January 19 and made no comment to all police questions.

Robinson tested positive for cocaine at the police station, the court was told.

He had 28 previous convictions for 56 offences, including ten of non-dwelling house burglary.

He was on licence after being released from a two year jail sentence imposed at Burnley Crown Court for commercial burglary and had since been recalled to prison.

Miss Downing said the total financial loss to the school was £11,127.

“In addition, the trauma to the school can properly be said to be beyond the normal inevitable consequences of intrusion and theft,” Miss Downing said.

She told the court it was a Category One burglary because the school was deliberately targeted at night while Robinson was on prison licence.

Imran Khan, Robinson’s barrister, conceded he had a very poor record for commercial break-ins.

Robinson was a class A drug addict determined to change his ways.

His partner was expecting his child and he had resolved to begin a new life on his release from prison.

Robinson had pleaded guilty to the burglary at the first opportunity at the magistrates court.

He was sentenced at the higher court today by Judge Colin Burn.