A HOUSE burglar who used stolen bank cards to commit fraud has been jailed for 16 months.

Gemma Meares, 28, of Church Street, Keighley, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court yesterday after her case was adjourned for a full probation report.

Meares had pleaded guilty to burgling money and a bank card from a house in Cornwall Road, Bingley, on November 11 last year; fraudulently using the bank card at Barclays Bank in Bingley on the same day, and burgling a handbag and contents from a house in Staveley Court, Keighley, between November 29 and December 5.

Judge Robert Bartfield agreed to the probation report after being told Meares had a lot of difficulties and lacked support.

Her barrister, Emma Downing, told the court the defendant was living in her car at the time of the offences after her alcoholic father told her to leave his house.

Miss Downing said Meares was taking cannabis and amphetamines and spent her day sitting in the car in desperation.

She was deeply ashamed and embarrassed and had since suffered serious injuries when crashing the car while under the influence of drugs.