A YORK man unable to get NHS dental treatment turned to crime to fund the medical work privately, York Crown Court heard.

But when Jonathan Steven Lane, 29, raided a house in Amber Street, The Groves, on March 25, he dropped into the hands of police as he climbed out of the yard, after an alert neighbour heard him and dialled 999, said Jonathan Carroll, prosecuting.

It was the second time in three months that a member of the public had foiled the habitual burglar's crimes.

On New Year's Eve, a neighbour spotted him raiding a house in Barbican Mews and called police in time for them to confront Lane as he tried to cycle off with his loot.

He led them on a chase through Walmgate Bar and scuffled twice with police before being arrested.

The court heard Lane, of Sixth Avenue, Tang Hall, has a long record for burglary. He pleaded guilty to two burglaries.

His barrister, Chris Tehrani, said Lane did not have a drugs habit. In March, he needed £250 for private dental work which he could not get done on the NHS. So he had broken into the Amber Street house.

He now hoped to train for a trade while in prison.

Judge Paul Hoffman, The Honorary Recorder of York, said he could sympathize with the difficulties of getting NHS dental treatment, but still jailed Lane for five years, plus 72 days unserved of a previous sentence.

Mr Carroll said nothing was stolen from the Amber Street house, which was unoccupied at the time, but it had been searched.

After the New Year's Eve burglary, police spotted Lane hiding a rucksack as he tried to escape from them. It contained his loot of electronic items worth £335.

Updated: 10:43 Saturday, May 01, 2004