A man is facing a potential prison sentence after admitting carrying out a burglary at a farmhouse, having used violence to gain entry.

Marc Stephenson was charged with an offence of robbery, in which he was said to have stolen a wallet and its contents from a man at Swan Castle Farm, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, on Sunday June 12, last year.

But, appearing at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Durham Crown Court, on Friday (January 27), the 20-year-old defendant, of Balmoral Court, Hartlepool, denied the robbery charge.

He did, however, plead guilty to burglary at the farmhouse, in which the wallet and contents were taken, having used violence to gain entry.

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Stephenson also admitted a further charge that, “with others, unknown”, he damaged the front offside window of a car belonging to the same man as in the robbery count.

Following his arraignment, prosecuting counsel, Annelise Haugstad, said those pleas were considered “acceptable” to the Crown and the robbery charge may be left to lie, “on the file”, in due course, when Stephenson has been sentenced for the offences he has admitted.

Asked if others may also face prosecution over the offences, Miss Haugstad told the court that officers involved in the investigation have the defendant’s mobile phone and are examining it, with, inquiries said to be, “ongoing”.

Richard Herrmann, representing Stephenson, asked that sentence be adjourned to allow a background report to be prepared on the defendant.

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“He’s only 20 and has been on bail with an electronic tag on his ankle, and I would ask that that situation continues pending the preparation of a pre-sentence report.”

Recorder Tom Moran agreed to Mr Herrmann’s request for a report to assist at the sentencing hearing.

Addressing Stephenson, Recorder Moran told him: “You have had the good sense to plead guilty.

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“Your sentence will be in three to four weeks’ time and I won’t indicate what the sentence will be.”

All parties agreed to adjourn the sentencing of Stephenson to an agreed hearing date, on Wednesday March 1.

The defendant will remain on bail, on the existing conditions, until that date.