(Image: West Yorkshire Police)
A “brazen” serial thief and drug addict caught burgling a house threatened the victim with a hammer and told him: “Come on then! I will f*** ing have you!”
Scott Blackburn had previously waved a machete at police officers who spotted him in the street.
He was later located by a police dog team and arrested.
Blackburn, 35, is now beginning three years and nine months in prison.
'Exceptionally chaotic period'
Bradford Crown Court heard how Blackburn carried out a two-month spate of shop thefts and broke into cars to steal items to fund his cocaine addiction during “an exceptionally chaotic period” in his life.
But his offending escalated, culminating in him smashing his way into a house at 7.30am on April 27 this year and stealing a £240 chop saw.
When challenged by the householder after he stole the saw by breaking through a patio door, Blackburn put the hammer above his head, made his threat, and added: “This [the saw] is mine now.”
He was arrested on May 5.
Stole chocolate worth total of £338
Prosecutor Paul Mitchell described how, during March and April, Blackburn, of Meadway, Bradford, “openly and brazenly” stole items from several shops including Tesco and the Co-op by putting them in baskets and running out without paying.
On two occasions, he stole chocolate worth a total of £338.
He also stole washing pods, coffee, and toilet roll.
He broke into cars, making untidy searches and stealing headphones, a wallet, and credit cards.
He later used a credit card fraudulently at a petrol station.
Caught by police dog unit
He was recognised after being caught on CCTV.
On April 19, police officers visited various addresses and then saw Blackburn in the street, but he ran off.
He pulled out a large black machete in a sleeve, which he brandished at them before running off.
He disposed of the machete before being caught by a police dog unit.
He was bailed and, a week later, committed the burglary.
Serial offender
Blackburn, who appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds, had 27 previous convictions for 51 offences including for dishonesty, burglary, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, theft from motor vehicles, and wounding.
He faced being sentenced for a total of 18 separate offences.
Mitigating, Saf Salam said Blackburn’s offending had taken place over a concentrated period that followed the breakdown of his relationship, homelessness, and “a significant relapse” into cocaine addiction.
He said Blackburn was genuinely remorseful and repeatedly expressed shame for what he had done.
He said since being on remand in prison he had remained abstinent from substance misuse.
Hammer 'turned into a weapon'
Taking the hammer burglary as the main offence, Mr Recorder Simon Eckersley handed Blackburn three years and nine months in prison with concurrent sentences for what he called “flagrant crime” encapsulating “a catalogue of 18 offences”.
Referring to the burglary, he said: “You had a hammer, which no doubt was taken in order to help you but ultimately it turned into a weapon.
“And, when challenged – rather than withdraw, what did you do? You threatened the householder not just verbally but with the hammer.
“That is a serious offence of dwelling house burglary.”
Recorder Eckersley told Blackburn that he would serve up to half of his sentence in custody and the remainder on licence.
He ordered the forfeiture and destruction of cocaine and cannabis that Eckersley had with him when arrested.