CALLS have been made for tougher sentencing after a ‘career criminal’ who assaulted a homeowner during a burglary walked free from court.

Jane Elizabeth Greenwood, who police said has been arrested 17 times in the last 18 months, was caught red-handed trying to steal a large ornamental eagle worth £250, from outside a house at 6am.

And on a separate occasion, after being confronted by a victim at a house, off Reedley Road, Brierfield, she pushed the man from behind, causing him to suffer several painful cuts.

Greenwood, 39, of Waterbarn Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty at Burnley Magistrates to being found on enclosed premises, attempted burglary and assault but was sentenced to a community order with a 20 week curfew between 8pm and 7am.

District Judge Peter Ward accepted that Greenwood is a vulnerable person and warned she could face a custodial sentence unless she changes her ways.

He said: "If you carry on committing offences like this you ought to go to prison.”

But police said they were ‘unhappy’ with the ‘weak sentencing.’ Inspector Russ Proctor, of Nelson Police, said: “We are very disappointed that a career criminal, who has caused a lot of concern for us, the person she assaulted and the community in Nelson, Brierfield and Burnley, has not been given a custodial sentence.”

Police said Greenwood, who has previously lived in Walter Street, Brierfield and Derby Street, Nelson, has been arrested a total of 17 times since March 2007 for a range of offences, including theft, possession of drugs and breach of bail conditions.

In January, she was given a community order with supervision and drug rehabilitation at Burnley Crown Court after being convicted of burglary and theft.

And on Tuesday the court heard how Greenwood had gone out ‘tooled-up’ to commit crime at the dead of night because amphetamine kept her awake.

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, told the court the owner of the eagle was woken up by his security lights, saw the defendant trying to remove the ornament and detained her with the help of a neighbour.

He added that at the property off Reedley Road, the householder found the defendant at the rear window where the beading had been taken off and challenged her.

But Greenwood told him she had seen someone taking a bag and running off.

A bag containing tools was discovered and Greenwood attacked the man from behind, causing him to fall to his knees.