Crime: Jail for burglar who raided Halifax town centre pub, bar and popular restaurant

During a four-week crime spree, 23-year-old Andrew Houlihan repeatedly raided Halifax Bierkeller bar, on Fountain Street, on three consecutive nights and stole about £1,300 worth of alcohol.

Bradford Crown Court heard today (Wednesday) that in October Houlihan also carried out another early hours break-in at the Old Cock Yard pub and even stole £70 from a charity box as well as other cash and hundreds of pounds worth of alcohol.

Even after being arrested for a shoplifting offence and being granted police bail, Houlihan went on to attack Noco Kiosk, in Westgate Arcade, and stole a till containing cash after forcing open a roller shutter.

Houlihan, of Norman Street in Halifax, pleaded guilty before the magistrates court to a series of offences including burglaries, attempted burglary, theft from a car and shoplifting.

Today at the crown court, Recorder Andrew Dallas said Houlihan had made a concerted attack on the Bierkeller premises and must have made their lives a misery with offences on three consecutive nights.

He said Houlihan had been “a menace” to the people who had suffered as a result of his offending in September and October.

The court heard that back in September, Houlihan had been given a community order for an earlier burglary but he failed to turn up for his drug and rehabilitation sessions.

Recorder Dallas said he had been given a chance then and he had ignored it.

Barrister Eleanor Mitten, for Houlihan, said at the time of the offending he was spending hundreds of pounds a day on his Class A drug addiction and he was committing crimes out of desperation to fund that habit.

She said Houlihan, who was homeless at the time, was remorseful and understood the impact on his victims and their livelihoods.

Records Dallas jailed Houlihan for 10 months for the latest offending and imposed an additional four months after revoking the community order for the earlier burglary matter.

Speaking after the break-in at Noco Kiosk, owner Italo Defelice, said there would not usually be any cash left on the premises overnight but on that day, Italo had left early so, unusually, there had been some money left.