A DRUG addict who raided £2,000 worth of computer equipment from a Bradford primary school has been locked up for three years and two months.

“I can’t think of a more mean and disgusting burglary, other than one in a house, that anyone could commit,” Judge Robert Bartfield told Michael Crossley.

Crossley, 34, of Fallowfield Close, Bierley, Bradford, broke into Killinghall Primary School in Barkerend on July 1 last year by smashing a window with a crowbar, Bradford Crown Court heard on Monday.

He then broke into a locked unit to steal 12 iPad Minis, an Apple iPad and an Apple Mac Pro, prosecutor Mark Brookes said.

Crossley’s solicitor advocate, Ashok Khullar, said of Crossley: “His life is being destroyed by his addiction to drugs.”

Crossley was now drug-free after being remanded in custody for five months.

In a letter to the judge, he said that being held in prison was the worst experience of his life.

He had been attacked, sustaining a head injury, and now spent much of his time in his cell.

“He is desperate to avoid a further period of incarceration,” Mr Khullar told the court.

Crossley had self-harmed in jail and was highly motivated to change his ways, the court was told.

Judge Bartfield said Crossley had pleaded guilty to burgling the school ahead of his trial date next month.

He had targeted the vulnerable premises because children had computer equipment stored there to do their work on.

The youngsters had returned to school after the overnight break-in to discover the items gone.

“The education system is short of cash and these things are badly needed,” Judge Bartfield said.

Staff at the school would also have been very upset by the raid in which Crossley did £3,000 damage.

He was arrested after he left a DNA profile at the scene.

After that, Crossley had lied to the police, saying he wasn’t the burglar, and maintained his denial during his first court appearance.

A letter sent to the judge by Crossley only made mention of the hard time he had had in prison.

His long criminal record included 12 court appearances for burglary.