Christmas Day death followed by burglary

Police officers alerted to the fact there was an intruder in the ground floor flat in Thornhill, Dewsbury, on the evening of January 5 were quickly on the scene and caught Michael Donohoe red-handed in the property.

One officer who had gone round to the back discovered the kitchen window had been broken and could see Donohoe still inside, Philip Adams, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

When challenged he gave a different name and tried to claim he lived there and had broken in because he had lost his keys but he was recognised by one of the policeman and arrested.

Items had been moved but nothing taken, the court heard.

Michael Greenhalgh, for Donohoe, said his client had had no idea the occupant had recently died.

The court heard he had previous convictions for burglary and was due to receive a minimum sentence as a "third strike" burglar.

Donohoe. 24 of Royds Avenue, New Mill, Holmfirth, was jailed for 876 days after admitting burglary with intent to steal.

Sentencing him the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he was being given full credit for his quick guilty plea. It was accepted he had not known the occupant had died but it was an aggravating feature "and did cause great distress to his family that this had happened".