A SERIAL offender has admitted carrying out a robbery and burglary during a brief hearing at court.

Arshad Urfan pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared in Teesside Crown Court this morning.

The 43-year-old was accused of stealing a pair of Nike trainers during a burglary on Alwyn Road and trespass with intent to steal from a house on Princess Road, both Darlington, on March 19 this year and a robbery at the Lifestyle Express store in the town three days earlier.

The court heard how the defendant required an undated pre-sentence report as he had a previous conviction for robbery.

Urfan, of Harrogate Hill Lodge, Darlington, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in June.

Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, also requested that a psychiatric report would be required before sentencing takes place to assess the defendant’s dangerousness.

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