A HEROIN addict who stole a car valued at £100 to use in his getaway after burgling a house has been jailed.

Burnley Crown Court heard how 59-year-old career criminal Steven Lumb had left a family too scared to go downstairs at night after ransacking their home in Rawtenstall.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker told the court that Lumb, of Newchurch Road, Bacup, had stolen a Vauxhall Astra belonging to motor trader Shahidur Rahman from near his property in Rawtenstall on May 29.

Mr Rahman, who intended to scrap the car, only realised it was missing when police told him its registration plate had been found in Burnley and he noticed the car was no longer parked where he left it.

Mr Parker said Lumb had driven the car to a house in Bacup Road, a property occupied by the Riley-Howarth family for the previous nine years, and loaded it with items he went on to steal from inside.

The court heard how Mr Riley-Howarth, who was in the property with his wife and two children, aged four and nine months, had locked the house up at around 11pm on May 28. He was awoken by his four-year-old son at 7am the following morning who said there was 'glass everywhere' and the TV had gone.

When he went downstairs Mr Riley-Howarth found most of the rooms had been ransacked and the back door had been opened using a screwdriver, a court heard.

Among the items stolen during the £4,780 raid were a Playstation, TV, mobile phone, camera, £50 in cash and cushion covers. Nearly £700 in damage was done to the door.

Summarising Mr Riley-Howarth’s victim impact statement Mr Parker said: “Since the incident his family has been struggling to sleep.

“The four-year-old often refuses to go to bed in case it happens again.

“At the time the statement was made all the family were sleeping in one bedroom. They are afraid to go downstairs in case there is someone there.”

The court heard Lumb was identified after police recognised him from CCTV footage recovered from the area. He had left a screwdriver on the windowsill of the house.

Lumb, who has what was described as a “plethora of convictions” going back to the 1970s, pleaded guilty to theft, burglary and driving without insurance.

Lumb’s defence barrister told the court his client’s criminality had been fuelled by his 41-year heroin addiction and he was surprised Lumb was still alive.

He added: “Sadly Mr Lumb’s son died from a drug overdose in the last couple of weeks. We’re at the stage a 59-year-old man is going to prison for what will no doubt be years. My main point of mitigation is his guilty plea.”

Jailing Lumb for four years, Judge Andrew Blake said: “ou have an appalling record. It could be said that record you have moved from domestic burglaries to shoplifting. There must be a dozen domestic burglaries on your record. The problem is you have returned to them. This was planned. It involved the stealing of a car and targetting of a house. The householder and his young children were at home. The house was ransacked. You of all people should know how seriously that is regarded.

“The public should know the courts will protect their houses from burglars such as you." Lumb was also given six penalty points.