Cousins jailed for Leeds United raid in Long Marston

Danny Bucknall, 41, and Kaney Barrett, 24, had boxes containing 400 items of Elland Road merchandise in their cars when police trapped them on an industrial estate near York, said Michael Cahill, prosecuting.

Both men tried to get away but were caught. Bucknall later told his barrister the officers had been armed.

Twenty-three days after their failed burglary, both men were given prison terms at York Crown Court. They had previously appeared before York Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty. 

Michael Cahill, prosecuting, said Bucknall learnt the property’s security code when he had work induction on the York House industrial estate at Long Marston some time before the raids.

At 11.35pm on February 4, he used it to gain entrance onto the estate and took boxes away from its buildings.

Although security staff spotted him on CCTV and alerted police, he was gone before officers arrived.

Bucknall returned at 1.25am the same night with his cousin, Barrett, each driving a car, and again security staff saw them on CCTV.

This time police arrived before the burglars could leave. Officers blocked the estate’s entrance with their car and after a pursuit, arrested them.

The pair had already put boxes containing 400 items worth £17,000 of Leeds United merchandise into their cars. All the stolen goods were returned to the company that owned them.

Burglar Kaney Barrett (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Barrett, of Lingfield Drive, Moortown, Leeds, pleaded guilty to burglary, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance, his second conviction for banned driving in six months. He was on a suspended prison sentence and a community order. He was jailed for 16 months including six months previously suspended and banned from driving for 20 months.

His solicitor advocate Adrian Pollard said Barrett “had been asked” to take part in the burglary. “He does understand he has to face up to the consequences of his actions,” said Mr Pollard.

Barrett wanted to gain building trade qualifications but his convictions had halted that. He had been struggling with his mental health.

Burglar Danny Bucknall (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

Bucknall, of Baileys Crescent, Leeds, pleaded guilty to two burglaries and was jailed for 12 months. He has 80 previous convictions including some for house burglary.

For him, Ben Whittingham said the burglaries had been a “spontaneous decision” taken when he happened to be driving past the industrial estate that evening.

He had not removed the boxes he put in his car during the first visit to the estate, so they were among those found by police after his arrest.

He had had problems when he lost his job, started taking drugs again and run up a drug debt which had led to him offending.