'Feral' burglar bit officer after crashing stolen car

Drug addict Jake Mason, who has more than 40 previous convictions and has described himself as 'feral', got into the property on Castleford Road in Normanton as the owner slept upstairs, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The 23-year-old admitted 11 separate charges including the burglary in the early hours of June 16.

Prosecutor Ayesha Smart said that Mason had found the patio door of the home unlocked at around 3am.

He entered the property and snatched the keys for the Peugeot 207 parked outside and driving off. He found another Peugeot vehicle and stole its number plates to put on the car he had taken to help avoid detection.

Shortly before 5pm on the same day, police spotted the stolen Peugeot and began pursuing it. Mason was driving and he had two passengers with him.

The chase took them along Wakefield Road in Normanton, Henderson Avenue and Dalefield Road.

He eventually hit a grass verge and lost control, turning the vehicle onto its side in a car park. The passengers remained in the stricken Peugeot while Mason tried to flee, but was soon arrested.

At the station he became aggressive and punched the custody desk before sinking his teeth into the arm of the officer trying to restraining him.

Held on remand at HMP Leeds, and appearing in court via video link, he admitted a charge of burglary, stealing a car, theft of number plates, dangerous driving, having no insurance and assaulting a police officer.

He also admitted two counts of stealing coffee worth over £70 from Bargain Buys in Normanton in late May, and three counts of making off without paying for petrol from fuel stations in Castleford, Featherstone and Wakefield on June 5 and 6.

The court was told that he is a 'three-strike' burglar, meaning he would expect a longer sentence because it was his third burglary offence, and was on licence at the time he committed the latest offences.

Mason, who lives on Market Street, Wakefield, has previous convictions including multiple shoplifting offences and assaults on police officers.

Joseph Hudson, mitigating said: "Plainly only a custodial sentence can be imposed and he understands that. He has seen sense and entered guilty pleas.

"He has a terrible antecedent record for someone so young."

Mr Hudson said Mason described himself as 'feral' after a hard upbringing in care. He said he had only recently made contact with his biological parents, but both died within a short time of each other.

He had spent a long time being addicted to cannabis and cocaine.

Mr Hudson said: "He knows he can't go on like this because it will attract longer and longer sentences. He needs to get clean, get a job or it will simply be a repetitive cycle."

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC handed him 40 months' jail and a two-year driving ban and said: "You have acquired one of the longest criminal records I have ever seen for someone of your age and it makes very depressing reading.

"Once you are released, your life is very much in your hands. You can go on the straight path to live a decent, honest life, or spend the rest of your life in prison."