A CAREER burglar is back behind bars after clocking up his 100th offence when he attacked a man whose home he was trying to raid.

Burnley Crown Court heard convicted drug dealer and heroin addict Andrew Woodrup, 33, started his life of crime breaking into someone’s home when he was just 13 and became hooked on drugs when he was 15.

Since then, he has broken into dozens of properties and repeatedly flouted drugs programmes.

He was back in the dock after he was caught red-handed and ‘off his head’ at Amjad Ali’s home in Leyland Road, Burnley, and assaulted him. The defendant, who ran away after the confrontation, told police Mr Ali was lying.

Woodrup, of Parkinson Street, Burnley, had admitted attempted burglary and assault by beating and had been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates. He was locked up for 24 weeks.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said Mr Ali received a phone call saying someone was in his back yard. The victim went home and saw Woodrup, who he knew, kicking his door.

Mr Ali asked what he was doing and the defendant said: “I didn’t know it was your house.”

Woodrup punched Mr Ali, who hit him back in a bid to defend himself. The defendant aimed windmill-style punches at the victim and the two men went to the floor.

Richard Taylor, defending, said: “It demonstrates the desperate state he was in at that time when he’s rooting through rubbish bags in someone’s back yard.”

Mr Taylor said Woodrup and his partner had substantial medical difficulties.