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A drug-troubled burglar had to be shot by police with a stun gun after he had stolen a car and sparked a dangerous chase in pouring rain.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 12 how Alan Ball, aged 31, of Monckton Road, at Bircotes, Doncaster, had burgled a home in Doncaster when the occupant woke to see her car being driven away and found her back door open and the contents of her handbag missing.

David Ward, prosecuting, said the complainant saw her vehicle being taken and she discovered her back door had been left open and the contents of her handbag had been taken including cash and personal items.

Police spotted the vehicle on Sheep Walk Lane, Doncaster, according to Mr Ward, but it pulled away at speed to Tickhill and exceeded 50mph before reaching a track where the defendant got out.

Pictured is Alan Ball, aged 31, of Monckton Road, at Bircotes, Doncaster, who was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 24 months of custody and was disqualified from driving for 36 months after he pleaded guilty to a dwelling house burglary, a theft, and dangerous driving.

Mr Ward said: “The defendant left the vehicle and was chased some distance and he was ‘Tazered’ because he was not happy about being arrested.”

He added that the police vehicle’s dash cam footage showed there had been a very dangerous chase on wet roads in appalling conditions as officers had pursued the defendant.

The burglary victim also stated she has been left feeling very upset and very vulnerable in her home.

Ball, who has four previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the burglary, theft and dangerous driving after the incident in June, 2021.

Katie Hodgkinson, defending, said: “Mr Ball tells me at the time he was falling in with the wrong crowd and he was homeless and he was led astray and the people he was hanging around with at the time were more to do with his drug habit than friends.”

Ms Hodgkinson added Ball had problems during the pandemic and he became addicted to drugs and developed a £250-a-day crack-cocaine addiction.

However, Ball has been drug-free since November, 2021, according to Ms Hodgkinson, and he is working in the construction trade and he is eager to build a relationship with his young daughter.

Ms Hodgkinson also said Ball was perhaps not the only person involved in this incident and he was not a ringleader.

The judge – Recorder Caroline Sellars – sentenced Ball to 24 months of custody and disqualified him from driving for 24 months.

Police release picture of a burglar who fled from police and was shot with a stun gun