A PAIR of brothers have been jailed for ransacking a house in Bradford and causing "immeasurable fear" to its occupants, which included two young children.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Alex and Curtis Braybrook went to the property in Brindle Close, Allerton, to reclaim £600 which Alex Braybrook said had been withdrawn from a joint bank account he shared with his former partner, Rebecca Calvert.

Both defendants had pleaded guilty to burglary at a previous hearing, alongside a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Ben Campbell told the court today that on October 17 last year, Alex Braybrook started sending messages on social media to Dominic Evans, Miss Calvert's then partner, angry about the transfer of the money.

Mr Campbell said the couple thought Alex Braybrook was unaware of their current address, but two days later, both brothers, plus the boy, arrived at the house and smashed the door open.

The court heard that Mr Evans and Miss Calvert, who was said to be 22 weeks pregnant at the time, were forced to drag their two children, aged eight and five, into an upstairs bedroom and barricade themselves in.

Curtis Braybrook was alleged to have shouted to Mr Evans: "Come out now, you think you're a big man," but the trio failed to get into the room.

Mr Campbell said they then "ransacked" the property before leaving, causing "significant damage," estimated to be in the region of £2,500.

Mitigating for Alex Braybrook, 26, of Fifth Street, Low Moor, Bradford, Jayne Beckett said her client was "sceptical" the money had been taken from his account as a "maternity grant", saying he had acted "in haste", and "clearly out of character."

Franklin Zakers, mitigating for Curtis Braybrook, 22, of Whitehall Avenue, Wyke, Bradford, said it was "bewildering to see why he had behaved so foolishly and recklessly in this offence", adding he regretted the shame he had brought on his family.

Anne-Marie Hutton, for the 16 year-old boy, said her client was "not the author of this offending, and had no involvement in the catalyst that led to the event."

Judge David Hatton QC jailed Alex Braybrook for three years; Curtis Braybrook for two and a half years and sentenced the boy to a 12 months detention and training order.

He said: "Alex Braybrook, you became angry as a consequence of a perceived loss of funds to Dominic Evans.

"Whether justified or not, your anger spiralled out of all control and proportion.

"You attended his home to use threats and, if necessary, violence, and you involved others, your brother, and a much younger boy.

"You attended the property and terrorised those within it, which included two young children.

"You caused considerable damage, and immeasurable fear."