A burglar who was found hiding in the loft of a school he intended to steal from has been spared jail, York magistrates heard.

Vincent Lee Clarke broke into Tang Hall Primary School, in Sixth Avenue, York, with the intention of stealing copper and lead when he set off the burglar alarm.

Responding police officers discovered Clarke, 34, empty-handed and hiding in the school's loft.

Magistrates handed Clarke, who pleaded guilty, a four-month curfew, forcing him to stay indoors at his girlfriend's address in Fourth Avenue, Tang Hall, for 12 hours every night starting at 7pm.

Trevor Beddoe, prosecuting, said Clarke broke into the school through a window early on Sunday, December 16. The school was undergoing building work at the time.

Mr Beddoe said: "His purpose was to steal scrap copper and lead from inside the premises. He was going to sell it and keep the money."

But when the burglar alarm went off at 2.38am, police immediately responded and started searching the building for the intruder.

Clarke had put four 2ft lengths of copper pipe aside ready to take with him.

But he left without them - in a police van - after officers found him at 3.15am hiding in the loft space. Clarke has a long criminal record.

Neal Kutte, mitigating for Clarke, said although Clarke lived in Bradford with his mother, he spent much of his time in York with his girlfriend and her children.

On December 16, he had had an argument with her and went driving in his car, which was low on petrol.

He passed the school, saw building work was under way and decided to take advantage of it.

"He had simply been laid off work before Christmas. Money was tight, Christmas was coming up and he took this opportunity," said Mr Kutte.

Clarke was a plasterer by trade who had been out of work since early December and was living on benefits.

Mr Kutte said Clarke had problems with sciatica and in the past had committed offences because he was addicted to heroin.

But he was now stable on a low methadone prescription and no longer stole to feed a habit, the court heard.