Burglar who raided pensioners' home and spat at police is jailed

A burglar who was part of a gang which raided an elderly Knottingley couples' home and who later assaulted four police officers has been jailed.
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Leeds Crown Court heard Jake Mason and three accomplices got into the pensioners’ bungalow as the couple slept in the early hours of July 6 last year.

Prosecutor, Heather Gilmore said 21-year-old Mason took the keys to a Ford Ka from the bungalow on Belvoir Drive.

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He stole the Ford Ka and he returned to the bunglaow later the same morning.

Jake MasonJake Mason
Jake Mason

He then took the keys to a Ford Transit van and drove it away.

The court heard the Ford Ka was later recovered, but Mason sold the van for £200.

The court heard the elderly couple were severely affected by the burglary and now want to move house.

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Miss Gilmore said Mason attacked officers after he was arrested on suspicion of an unrelated offence on December 8.

He hit out at police at West Yorkshire Police’s Wakefield HQ on Havertop Lane, Normanton.

Mason spat in the faces of two officers, scratched another officer’s face and struck a fourth officer in the face.

Mason, of Grasmere Road, Knottingley, admitted burglary, two charges of theft of vehicle and four charges of assaulting an emergency worker.

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Mason asked for 18 other offences to be taken into consideration including commercial burglaries, thefts and one charge of fraud.

Mitigating, Victoria Barker, said Mason was brought up in care, adding “He feels extremely remorseful for his actions.”

The court heard Mason has 35 previous convictions for 86 offences.

Jailing Mason for 38-months, Judge Simon Phillips QC told him: “The most serious offence is that of the burglary. You broke into the house and stole the keys for both vehicles.”