A war veteran today said a teenage burglar who targeted 78 houses had left him too scared to stay in his own home.

Wheelchair-bound Harry McCurdy, 81, was beaten black and blue in the Holme Wood raid - and now said he was thinking of going into an OAP's home.

Carl McLoughlin, 17, yesterday admitted burgling four houses - including Mr McCurdy's - and then asked for 74 other offences to be taken into consideration.

McLoughlin, of Lymington Drive, Holme Wood, whose picture police refused to release, took officers on a tour pinpointing the 74 houses he raided.

On one night alone McLoughlin committed 20 break-ins in the Holme Wood and Tyersal areas, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Many of his victims were pensioners, including Mr McCurdy, who fought back with his walking stick during the break-in, the court was told.

Many offences were to take car keys and then the cars - one valued at £50,000.

After the case, investigating officer Det Con Andy Elener, described him as "a one-person crime wave."

Sentencing him to a two-year detention and training order, Judge Leslie Hull, said: "The scale is quite overwhelming. And there are some seriously aggravating features to your offending.

"Many of the victims were elderly people who were vulnerable. The indications are they have been left feeling insecure and helpless in their own homes.

"One was an elderly man confronted by you and an accomplice and the accomplice struck the unfortunate gentleman with a plastic pipe."

He said McLoughlin committed many of the offences while he was on bail pending an appearance at an identity parade.

The judge said he could have jailed McLoughlin for up to five years but took his guilty plea and the fact he had pointed out to police where he had offended into account.

After the hearing his mother Denise said he had gone off the rails after a trauma in the family.

"Up until then he had been a good lad and I am sticking by him," she said.

John Topham, prosecuting, told the court how during one attempted burglary a 72-year-old woman spotted his silhouette trying to get into her home.

And another 73-year-old with a massive history of illness and two amputated legs also caught him trying to get into her home.

Frail Mr McCurdy, of Holme Wood, was watching TV when McLoughlin broke into his house.

He said after the case: "I was beaten black and blue. I tried to get out of chair to fight back but couldn't. I just lashed out with my walking stick. It left me terrified to be in my own home."

The former Royal Navy man said he was now thinking of going into a home.

McLoughlin eventually fled the scene empty-handed. He claimed in court that an accomplice had hit Mr McCurdy but the accomplice has never been traced.