A policeman caught a burglar red-handed inside a travel agents after the intruder set the alarm off while breaking in.

Jonathan Furness targeted Althams Travel Services in the Market Place, Dewsbury after it had been locked up for the night on June 24.

The manageress received a call about 5.15am the following morning saying the alarm was sounding.

Ayesha Smart, prosecuting at Leeds Crown Court, said that by the time she arrived at the premises to investigate police were already on the scene.

The officer attending found the rear door had been forced and there had been an untidy search with brochures strewn around the room.

He also found the intruder Jonathan Furness had tried to escape by climbing into the space leading up to the roof, sending pieces of the false ceiling falling down in the process.

The officer was able to reach through and pull Furness down by his legs.

He found the burglar was dressed all in black including a black balaclava but also with a high visibility vest on but nothing was missing from the premises.

Furness, who had 20 previous convictions including burglary and assault, was in possession of a Stanley knife which he told a probation officer he used for work as a roofer.

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He also told the probation officer he had been partying over that weekend and had consumed a large amount of alcohol as well as ketamine and crack cocaine.

He said he had little recollection of events and thought he had put his work clothes on including the high vis jacket, because he must have believed he was at work at some point.

He had been using recreational drugs since the age of 12 and is currently on methadone.

Anastasis Tassou, representing Furness, said he had periods where he had not offended on his record when he was not on drugs, adding: “He can give up drugs, his problem is staying of them.”

He said Furness could not explain what he was doing attempting to burgle the travel agency at 5am in the morning.

Furness, 37 of Crabtree Avenue, Dale Lane Estate, Heckmondwike admitted burglary and having a bladed article and was jailed for a total of 18 months.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told him: “Unless you address your drug habit you are going to be spending the rest of your life behind bars.”