Drunken thief burgled old Leeds pub then tried to sell his loot on eBay and Gumtree

Opportunist Josh Woods broke into the former Dyneley Arms in Bramhope during the 10-mile walk home to Headingley after attending a party in Otley on May 6.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Woods used a spade to smash a downstairs window to the former pub, then climbed inside and ransacked the flat upstairs.

The resident was not home at the time, with Woods stealing a £1,850 mountain bike, wireless headphones and an iPad among other items. The goods were then spotted online days later, so the police were informed.

Tracing the address, officers went to his home on Moor Park Villas where the 34-year-old was arrested and the stolen property recovered, prosecutor Benjamin Bell said.

During his police interview, he said he had been to the party and had been drinking and taking ketamine. He said he woke up the next morning and claimed he could not remember how the stolen property got in his home, but acknowledged he was responsible for the break in.

He admitted a single charge of dwelling burglary. He has four previous convictions including theft and aggravated vehicle taking.

A probation report suggested he thought he his drink may have been spiked while at the party because he says his phone and wallet had been stolen.

He said he remembers it raining during the walk home and accepts he made a “foolish decision”. Mitigating, Nicholas Hammond said: “He fully admitted what he did. He expressed remorse and pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court. His underlying issue is the use of alcohol.”

He said that his life spiralled out of control following the breakdown of his marriage, he began to drink to excess and he also lost his job as an engineer.

Judge Rodney Jameson opted not to send Woods into custody, but gave him 12 months’ jail, suspended for two years. He also gave him 160 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days and told him to pay £500 compensation to the victim.