Lawn mower driven into side of hut in Leeds golf club burglary

A PAIR of burglars caused £3,500 worth of damage during a burglary at a West Yorkshire golf club.
Ian Broadhurst, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club.Ian Broadhurst, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club.
Ian Broadhurst, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club.

Leeds Crown Court heard police were alerted after the alarms were activated at Cleckheaton Golf Club on February 27 this year.

They arrived to find a hole in the side of a greenkeeper’s hut where a lawn mower had been driven through the side of the building.

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Damage had also been caused to three green-keeping machines.

John Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf clubJohn Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club
John Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club

Ian Broadhurst, John Collins and an unknown man had driven to the golf club in a car bearing false number plates to carry out the raid.

Broadhurst and Collins tried to run off when officers arrived but were caught and arrested.

Both men pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal.

The court heard Broadhurst, of Dean Hall Close, Morley, has 57 previous convictions for 24 offences, including commercial burglaries.

John Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf clubJohn Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club
John Collins, jailed for carrying out a burglary at Cleckheaton golf club
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Collins, of Stanhope Road, Leeds, has 20 convictions for ten offences.

Collins was the subject of a suspended prison sentence for dangerous driving at the time of the offence.

Narinder Rathour, for Broadhurst, said his client was realistic that he was facing a custodial sentence.

Mr Rathour said that although the value of the damage was high, £3,500 may not represent a great loss since it was “the annual subscription at some golf courses.”

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Richard Holland, for Collins, said his client also accepted that he would be facing a custodial sentence.

Collins was jailed for 22 months and Broadhurst was jailed for 18 months.

The Recorder of Leeds, judge Peter Collier, QC, said: “A considerable amount of damage was done.”