Leeds bar and restaurant burglar left a 'trail of damage and destruction' during 'unrelenting campaign'

Ashley Haywood broke into eight premises, including four in the space of two days, mainly by throwing bricks or stones through their windows, climbing inside and stealing cash and bottles of alcohol. The 34-year-old appeared at Leeds Crown Court in custody this week where he admitted a string of offences.

Prosecutor Jessica Lister said his first offence was in February when he broke the window of a hair salon on Northgate in Halifax, and stole £1,500 worth of stock. However, it was not until August that he began his “spree”, first targeting Arcade Club in Kirkstall, when he used a brick to smash his way in. He took up to 10 bottles of spirits worth around £500.

Days later, he kicked in the door of the Caracus Grill La Taberna on York Place, and managed to get away with around £1,000 in cash taken from the till.

On September 6, he returned to York Place and broke into My Thai also, taking £55 worth of booze, then on the same night the Thai tapas restaurant, Phranakhon, where he tried to open the safe. He even left the premises but returned to try for a second time.

The next day, he smashed the window to the Lime Tree Bistro on Morley’s Queen Street and took a laptop, £30 in cash and bottle of alcohol worth up to £300. He also threw a brick through the window of The Resident Bar, also on Queen Street, on the same day, but nothing was taken.

Finally, on September 9, he put a brick through the window of Sri Non Thai Street Food premises on Great George Street in Leeds, causing £2,000 worth of damage, but he failed to find anything he wanted to steal.

Haywood, of Cedar Place, Armley, was arrested and refused to take a test for Class A drugs, then gave a no-comment interview. He has 24 previous convictions for 42 offences, with multiple thefts and burglaries.

For his latest offences, he admitted six counts of burglary with theft, two of burglary with intent, and one of failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Mitigating, Allan Armbrister, said: “Regrettably, he began taking drugs again and you can the spree of serious offending, which was a direct cause of that. It’s not an excuse but it’s some explanation as to why he has found himself in this situation. He is now drying out in prison.”

Passing a sentence of 24 months’ jail, Judge Simon Phillips KC told him: “You have a lengthy record. The fact that these are businesses, you should not underestimate the upset, the impact, damage, inconvenience and stress it can cause to the owners or managers of these businesses.

"You smashed your way into these premises and have caused damage and disruption. It was a trail of damage and devastation. It was done repeatedly with an utter disregard for these businesses. It was an unrelenting campaign of burglary.”