Richard Merryman, 48, acted as a lookout while an accomplice broke in and stole items including a Gucci watch and jewellery, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

Merryman, of Leeds, who uses a crutch and wears a prosthetic limb, was caught acting suspiciously on CCTV in Harrogate town centre shortly before the daytime burglary last October 27.

When interviewed by police, Merryman, of Little London, answered 'no comment' to all questions.

Prosecutor Clodagh Maguire said as he was being shown out of the station, Merryman told a police officer: "It's a funny old game.

"I only came across to do some shoplifting, but we think we got rumbled so we left. We went to to do a burglary and I got picked out, fair dos."

Spotted

The court heard a couple had alerted police after spotting the Vauxhall Vectra Merryman and his accomplice were travelling in parked haphazardly outside the cottage.

A man was spotted loading items into the boot in bin liners.

Police linked that report to CCTV footage of the two men getting into a similar car in Harrogate town centre.

Simon Batiste for Merryman said his client was a chronic alcoholic who drinks a "colossal" amount.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC jailed Merryman for 12 months.

Judge Collier told him: "You have a bad record for offences of dishonesty. Your traditional offending has been shoplifting. You have moved into a much more serious category of offences."
Merryman had admitted burglary.