Leeds burglary spate: Rothwell man broke into homes across city stealing £44k worth of cars to pay off drugs debt

Cameron Norfolk appeared before Leeds Crown Court on August 24 having been charged with burglary and three counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

It was argued in his defence that the 20-year-old, of Pasture View Road, Rothwell, had built up a significant drug debt and was put under pressure to carry out the crimes.

In total, the four cars that were taken had an estimated value of £44,000.

One of his victims had just moved into her new home in Beeston, before having her Jeep Cherokee nicked later that night.

The first burglary took place in Hunslet on June 8th. Andrew Horton, for the prosecution, explained that the victim had heard a noise after 4am which sounded like his car, but "thought nothing of it".

It was not until later that day that the victim saw his living room window was insecure and the front door was open, with his keys missing from the kitchen table and his Audi A4 gone.

The car was estimated to be worth £7,000. It was later recovered with a false registration plate attached.

The second burglary, which targeted the Beeston home, came just two days later.

The victim was alerted to Norfolk's presence by her dog, which started barking shortly after midnight. She rushed to her door to see her Jeep Cherokee, estimated to be worth up to £10,000, driving away.

CCTV footage showed that at least five people were outside the property in the lead-up to the theft.

In the third and final burglary on June 9th, a three-bedroom terraced house was targeted and two cars were taken - a Volkswagen Golf, worth around £2,500, and a BMW X5, valued at £25,000. It was later found abandoned in Middleton, but there was no mention of the other car being recovered.

Norfolk was arrested on June 16th, after leaving behind finger prints at the properties and on the cars.

The court heard that Norfolk had an unstable home life, moving between Leeds and Manchester. He told a probation officer that he had "got involved with the wrong crowd", which led to his drug use escalating and a debt building up.

With Norfolk unable to pay off his debts, it was said that "other individuals pressured the defendant into committing the burglaries".

Norfolk was excluded from school at the age of 14. He is currently unemployed and in receipt of benefits.

Defence barrister Eddison Flint said: "There was a degree of planning, but clearly this defendant is not the mastermind. He has no history of burglary and five other people were seen on CCTV driving in those cars. He was just the one that they were more than willing to send through the window to get the keys."

Sentencing, Recorder Patrick Palmer said: "I'm told that you have an unsettled lifestyle, that you're addicted to cannabis and cocaine and that you had built up a debt. You were committing these offences under some pressure in order to repay those debts."

Norfolk was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, half of which he will serve on licence.