Jail for burglars who were caught red-handed

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday the householder dialled 999 after she returned to the basement flat in St Michael’s Road, Headingley, Leeds, soon after midnight on December 14 and realised a window had been broken.

While she was waiting nearby for assistance, fearing intruders may still be inside, she saw two men walk down an alley towards the flat and Jason Higo and Stephen O’Leary were then arrested as they left.

The court heard Higo was a prolific offender who had appeared for burglary on 12 occasions.

Jailing him for four years yesterday, Judge Christopher Batty told him: “Leeds has a very significant burglary problem, very significant indeed. It is very high up on the league tables for dwelling house burglaries and Jason Higo you are probably a principal reason why it is up there, looking at your record.”

He said it was clear Higo was not offending that night to fund a drug habit like so many others but simply for financial gain. “It is what you do when you want some money.”

The judge said Higo had already lined up buyers for the property stolen during his first trip inside the flat and would no doubt have disposed of the rest.

Visiting the property twice that night indicated persistence and the impact on the householder who had suffered anxiety since was understandable.

Higo, 44, of no fixed address and O’Leary, 54 of Cumberland Court, Leeds both admitted the burglary.

O’Leary was jailed for 18 months after the court heard it was the first time he had offended since 2004 after being recruited that night through a phone call from Higo.

Judge Batty told him: “You were the hapless idiot who got yourself roped in by him.”

Michael Smith, prosecuting, told the court the pair were arrested while walking away from the premises with a rucksack and O’Leary admitted it was not his. both the bag and the property inside it had been stolen from the flat.

A laptop stolen earlier was also recovered at his address and Higo was found to have sent a text to someone about a camera which had also been taken earlier and which was later recovered from an address in Armley.

Michael Miller, for Higo, said he realised he was facing longer and longer sentences if he continued in the same way.

Craig Sutcliffe for O’Leary said: “He deeply regrets taking the phone call from Higo and becoming involved. He is ashamed of the way he behaved.”