Blood left at the scene of a hairdressing business break-in helped police to pinpoint the  culprit through a forensic match, a court heard.

Daniel Hann burgled Lox of Love salon in Newton Aycliffe, overnight late on January 22 or early the following morning.

Durham Crown Court heard that staff arriving at the Dunelm Way South premises to open at 8am on January 23 discovered the burglary, via a smashed window.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said about £50 was taken from the till and £300 from cash tips envelopes, while a large number of salon products were taken.

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The intruder appeared to have left via the same window through which he gained access having also prised bars apart.

But blood left at the entry point was forensically-tested and came up with a link to Hann, who was known to police, most notably for a machete-carrying raid at a village store and Post Office, in Bishop Middleham, in September 2016.

His post-sentence licence supervision has since ended, having served a six-year prison sentence imposed for the robbery, at the court, in May 2017.

The court heard that the 26-year-old defendant, of Bede Terrace, Bowburn, who admitted the salon burglary, has eight other convictions, for nine further offences, six being theft, on his record.

Mr Bevan said there must have been a degree of planning to the latest offence, which was aggravated by his record.

He told the court that there was a compensation claim made by the business, on the basis that the salon lost about £1,500, given the potential sale value of the stolen products, as it only received insurance payment for their purchase price.

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Helen Towers, in mitigation, said the defendant has “engaged fully” with the Probation Service in preparation of a pre-sentence report, “making no attempt to minimise the harm to the hairdressers, expressing his remorse.”

Miss Towers said: “He’s bitterly disappointed in himself, describing his actions as ‘selfish’.

“It was not very sophisticated, but he acknowledges the harm to the business.”

She said his previous offending was linked to his alcohol and drug-misuse, but he has remained abstinent since his release from his long sentence, resulting in a decline in the frequency of his offending.

Miss Towers added that the defendant is now working full-time and should be in a position to pay compensation to the business targeted in the burglary.

Recorder Mark Giuliani said his actions have affected the salon which lost out through the sale value of the stolen products and the £400 insurance excess it had to meet.

He quoted from the victim statement of the salon owner saying she and her staff feel the business has been “violated” as a result of the break-in.

But he added that having read the Probation Service pre-sentence report on Hann: “It’s clear you are trying to address your behaviour and you have shown genuine remorse for your behaviour.”

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He passed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, during which Hann must attend up to 25 rehabilitation sessions with the Probation Service, undergo a 15-day ‘Thinking Skills’ programme and carry out 150-hours’ of unpaid work.

Recorder Giuliani also ordered him to pay £1,400 compensation to the business, to be paid in the next four months, adding: “It’s in your interests to pay it as soon as possible.

“I hope these courts never see you again.”