A BURGLAR heaped misery on householders purely to try to fuel his craving for alcohol, a court heard.

Shane Alan John James was involved in a series of break-ins, backed in some cases by a young accomplice, while also stealing from shops and cars, earlier this year.

But, Durham Crown Court heard that even with his case looming, James carried out a further break-in, stealing a television from the home of an elderly couple, in Newton Aycliffe, earlier this month.

So desperate was the defendant for money for alcohol that he tried to sell the stolen set to passers-by in the street, in the early hours, even admitting to them that he had just taken it in a burglary.

When he failed to sell the, by then damaged tv, he abandoned it in nearby shrubs, from where it was recovered by police.

Twenty-one-year-old James, of Creighton Road, Newton Aycliffe, was before the court for sentence after admitting four burglaries, three with accomplice William Wootton, at premises in Spennymoor, in June.

Wootton, 18, of Langley Place, Newton Aycliffe, also admitted the three Spennymoor burglaries, two domestic and one from an outhouse next to a Chinese takeaway, from where they stole cans of soft drink and 360 eggs.

Appearing via video link from nearby Durham Prison, James was also facing sentence for two counts of fraudulent use of stolen bank cards.

He also asked for six further theft offences, four from cars and two from shops, to be taken into consideration.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said computer games and consoles were among the items taken in the Spennymoor burglaries, following untidy searches of both homes, in the early hours of June 17.

One of them was at the home of an autistic boy, who was left extremely distressed by the incident.

Other householders spoke of the crimes leaving them in fear in their own homes.

Two bank cards, taken from one of the houses, were used to make purchases of £54 and £45 at nearby shops within a short space of time.

The court heard that James has 11 convictions for 18 offences, mainly carried out to help meet his alcohol issues, said to have developed from the age of 13.

Andrew Finlay, mitigating, said he has also suffered with anxiety disorder, which has left him vulnerable and easily-led by others.

“These were acts of desperation, but they include stealing 360 eggs from a Chinese takeaway, indicating the level of criminal sophistication.”

Kieran Rainey, for Wootton, said the offences he faced sentence for were committed when he was still 17, and immature, susceptible to joining other more criminally-savvy individuals.

Wootton, who only turned 18 earlier this month, was, therefore, sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders’ institution.

James received a prison sentence totalling three years and 20 weeks.

Judge Jonathan Carroll told the pair their crimes will have a “lasting impact” on some of the victims.