Teenagers jailed for York and Harrogate burglaries

Michael Cahill, prosecuting, told York Crown Court they were responsible for a string of house raids including one of a police officer, theft of expensive vehicles, and other crimes in York and Harrogate.

One, Chaz England, had a stun gun at his own home and had previous convictions for burglary.

Bailey George Samuel Townend, and Nathan Lofthouse were 17 when they carried out their crimes.

The other two were 18.

Both Townend and Ainsley Cameron West had previous convictions for burglary.

Between them the four committed seven burglaries, one attempted burglary on a van centre, five vehicle thefts and one attempted theft, as well as other offences,

Barristers for two of the four said they had had difficult childhoods.

All four defence barristers said their clients had changed for the better since their offences.

Handing out sentences of between 55 and 17 months, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said prison sentences were inevitable.

Teenager burglar Ainsley Cameron West

Mr Cahill said West stole a police warrant card and other items in a handbag from a York home on August 3, 2020.

He also stole a car from a Knaresborough home that was later found in Beeston with stolen numberplates.

West, now 20, of Oxley Street, Cross Green, Leeds, was jailed for 55 months. He pleaded guilty to two burglaries, theft of a car and handling stolen number plates.

Teenager burglar Bailey George Samuel Townend

Townend broke into a Fulford home on August 3, 2020, when he took three handbags, York Crown Court heard.

With others, he stole a £11,000 motorbike from the communal car park of a block of flats in Harrogate on August 20, 2021, and on December 22, 2019, burgled a Knaresborough home and stole a £14,000 Mercedes Benz and a Skoda.

Townend, now 21, of Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to two burglaries, two car thefts, theft of a motorbike and possessing cannabis when he was arrested. He was jailed for 51 months.

Teenager burglar Nathan Daniel Lofthouse

Mr Cahill said Lofthouse caused a woman to undergo an inquiry at work because he stole her NHS security details and information she had about people applying for NHS jobs when he burgled her Harrogate home on December 22, 2019.

He also raided another Harrogate home on the same day and smashed a Jaguar into a second car when he tried to steal it but was stopped by the owner.

Lofthouse, of Chatsworth Grove, Harrogate, was jailed for 17 months after admitted two burglaries and an attempted theft.

Teenager burglar Chaz Richard Alan England

England, now 22, of Walworth Avenue, Harrogate, admitted a house burglary on Christmas Eve 2019 and burgling a van centre and theft of a car in December 2019, all in Harrogate, having a stun gun and possessing cannabis when arrested, and was jailed for 28 months.