Jail for burglary bid at Town player’s flat

promotion to the Premier League last year.

A cleaner at the house told Tony, 24, and his younger brother Connor Cassidy, 21, about cleaning the Town flat and the two men targeted it, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday.

The SkyBet Championship play-off trophy was on display in the property, which is in Spring Bank Corner in Holmfirth.

Around 7.30pm on August 1, the brothers were driven to the house by a male friend. Finding it unoccupied, they forced open French doors and broke in.

They moved the trophy, a Wii and a TV to the exit, but were disturbed by neighbours and didn’t get away with any of the goods.

The brothers, both of Fairlea Road in Taylor Hill, were later arrested.

The court heard that it cost £250 to change the flat’s locks.

Victoria Smith-Swain, defending, said that before the offence took place Tony Cassidy lost his job and suffered a relationship breakdown, which caused him to turn to smoking cannabis.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in Huddersfield previously heard that Conor Cassidy started smoking the drug when he was nine years old.

Ms Smith-Swain told the judge that she did not know which brother had spoken to the cleaner and therefore her client could not be dubbed the leader.

At the time of the offence, Tony Cassidy, who has previous convictions for robbery, burglary, criminal damage, battery and violent disorder, was subject to a suspended sentence for harassment and breach of restraining order.

In September, the sentence imprisonment was activated.

In December, both brothers pleaded guilty to burglary at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrates immediately sentenced Connor Cassidy to a community order with a 21-day thinking skills programme and nine days of rehabilitation activities.

He was also ordered to pay £125 compensation, £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.

But due to Tony Cassidy’s lengthy criminal record, they committed his sentencing to Crown Court.

Recorder Little sentenced Tony Cassidy, who appeared in court from custody, to one year’s imprisonment, of which he will serve half before being released on licence.

Addressing sentencing for the two brothers, Recorder Little told Tony Cassidy: “(Connor Cassidy) is younger than you, he does not have the same record as you.

“There is nothing unfair therefore in imposing an immediate custodial sentence on you.”