A ‘THIRD strike’ burglar who twice sneaked into a house where a mother and her young daughter were sleeping to steal the television set, cash and credit cards has been jailed for three years.

Mark O’Hara had 58 previous convictions for 122 offences, including housebreaking, commercial burglary and theft from vehicles and shops, Bradford Crown Court heard.

O’Hara, 48, of Mill Hey, Haworth, near Keighley, pleaded guilty on a video link to Leeds Prison to entering an address in River Street in the village as a trespasser on September 22 and making off with the TV set and remote, a purse and contents.

Prosecutor Philip Adams said a neighbour saw O’Hara trying the doors of houses in the area at around 6am.

He got in through the insecure front door at the terraced home to raid the TV and take it to his nearby flat.

He then returned to burgle the property a second time, stealing cash and credit cards, the court was told.

The police were alerted and O’Hara was immediately arrested at his flat.

Officers recovered the television set and credit cards and O’Hara showed them where he had hidden the TV remote under the floorboards.

Mr Adams said the complainant was disgusted by the burglary.

She worked hard to provide for her young daughter and now felt insecure in her home.

She had thought it was the sort of village where doors did not have to be kept locked at all times.

O’Hara made no comment in his police interview and at first indicated a not guilty plea.

He had previously served prison sentences for house burglary, including serving a lengthy stretch of three years minus credit for a guilty plea, as a “third striker” in 2015.

Since then, he had been sentenced for non-dwelling burglary and shop and vehicle theft.

Imran Khan, O’Hara’s barrister, conceded his client had “an unenviable record.”

“He is no stranger to the courts,” he said.

The latest burglary was “a stupid act” after O’Hara had been drinking.

He had let down his partner and his children and he was ashamed of his behaviour.

O’Hara had acted alone and he was not equipped with tools to burgle, having got into the house through an insecure door.

Judge Jonathan Gibson said O’Hara twice raided the house while the mother and her daughter were sleeping, leaving the woman feeling insecure in her home.

The judge said the case was an example of why burgling people’s homes was such a serious offence.