Two men have each been jailed for two years after they smashed their way into a Bradford house with weapons in a terrifying revenge attack.

Brandon Ward and Charles Woodhead had been reported to the police for taking a van from outside the property after a party. It was then driven at such speed that it developed an electrical fault and caught fire, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Both defendants were masked when they returned to the address later that morning. Ward had a baseball bat and Woodhead a crowbar, prosecutor Jeremy Barton said.

Ward smashed the living room window, causing glass to shatter into the room.

He then punched a man in the face at the front door and both men forced their way into the house.

A woman ran out of the back door and hid in a neighbour’s garden while two men tried to keep them out of the kitchen. When the door began to splinter, they too fled the house and went over a fence to escape.

Ward and Woodhead then left the scene.

Mr Barton said significant damage was caused to the property, with glass smashed and doors damaged.

The court was told it was only by good luck that the children were not at home at the time. They had been left upset and traumatised when told about what had happened.

Ward, 23, of Torre Grove, Horton Bank Top, Bradford, and Woodhead, 30, of Hall Lane, West Bowling, Bradford, were arrested and made no comment to the police when they were questioned.

They went on to each plead guilty to violent disorder and aggravated vehicle taking on May 22 last year.

Mr Barton said the works van they took from the address was completely burnt out by an electrical fault triggered by the excessive speed it was driven at. It was seen smoking and going erratically before it caught fire.

The court was told it was accepted by the prosecution that neither defendant had deliberately set the vehicle alight.

The self-employed tradesman who owned the van lost £10,000 worth of tools in the blaze. He had been recompensed by his insurance company for just £1,000 of that amount.

Simon Hustler, for Ward, said he was lightly convicted and the only similar offence on his record was an affray some years ago.

He had been in custody since May 26. It was his first experience of an adult prison in the Covid environment when he was kept in his cell for 23 hours a day.

He accepted full responsibility for his actions that day and he had reflected on his behaviour while being held on remand.

Ward was working at the time for his father. He was from a close-knit family and character references spoke highly of him, Mr Hustler said.

Jessica Heggie, Woodhead’s barrister, said he too was lightly convicted and he had not been in any trouble since 2013 before committing these offences.

He expressed regret and remorse for his actions and he was sorry about the trauma he had caused to the victims.

Woodhead was a hardworking mechanic and references spoke of him being reliable and trustworthy, Miss Heggie said.

Being remanded in the Covid lockdown was very challenging but he had reached “enhanced” prisoner status and was working in the prison.

Recorder Ben Nolan QC said both defendants were hardworking family men spoken highly of in character references.

Each had been held in prison on remand since May during the difficult conditions caused by the Covid pandemic.

On May 22 last year they went to a party at a house in Bradford and when they left they stole the keys to the householder’s works van. It was driven at speed until it “blew up” and was destroyed, along with all the tools inside it, the Recorder stated.

When they learned that the police had been called, they decided to take revenge.

Ward armed himself with a baseball ball and Woodhead had a crowbar. Both were masked and they smashed their way into the house leaving the occupants cowering in fear.

Recorder Nolan made a five-year restraining order banning the men from contacting their victims.

Each was disqualified from driving for 17 months.