A burglar struggled with a householder for possession of a stolen axe after telling him he was “taking a few things,” Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Ryan Hardaker was caught-red handed raiding a family’s garage in St John’s Crescent, Fairweather Green, Bradford, when he was on prison licence and had discharged himself from hospital.

Hardaker, 39, whose address was given as HMP Wealstun, had 12 house burglaries on his record as well as offences of possession of an offensive weapon, theft and affray.

He was jailed for three years and two months after pleading guilty to stealing a bicycle, a tool box and an axe from the garage on June 6 last year and possession of the axe in a public place.

Prosecutor Abdul Shakoor told the court that Hardaker had 26 previous convictions for 46 offences.

In October 2015, he was locked up for six years for seven house burglaries, an attempted burglary and handling stolen goods. Hardaker, then of Cornwall Road, Bingley, targeted sheltered accommodation in Ilkley and Bingley. All but one of his victims was elderly.

Mr Shakoor said he was on licence when he committed the latest offences and had been recalled to serve the balance of his sentence.

The court heard that a child looked out of the house window at 7.45am to see someone in the family’s garage.

The male householder challenged Hardaker, who had thrown part of a lawn mower out of the detached building.

Asked what he was doing, Hardaker replied: “Taking a few things.”

The court heard that a bicycle and a tool box were missing from the garage. The householder followed Hardaker who asked him not to call the police because he would go back to prison.

Mr Shakoor said the man noticed that Hardaker was carrying an axe from the stolen tool box. He was scared he would use it and struggled to take it from him. The householder’s wife took photos of the struggle, the court heard.

Hardaker then threw the axe into some bushes. The man’s wife had already called the police and Hardaker was apprehended.

He was wearing a hospital wristband and struggling to walk. He was readmitted to Bradford Royal Infirmary where he spent several days before being recalled to prison.

Amanda Johnson said in mitigation that Hardaker had significant health problems at the time, having suffered kidney failure. He had spent two weeks in hospital before discharging himself.

Miss Johnson said it was an opportunistic offence. Hardaker was walking along a public path near the property when he noticed the garage. He did not bring the axe with him, it was picked up at the scene.

Judge Jonathan Rose said a child living at the house witnessed Hardaker burgling the garage.

He suggested to him that committing the offence on licence after just leaving hospital was a very bad idea.