In court this week - a burglar who commit six burglaries in six days, a duo with a string of thefts, and a man who threatened to burn down a charity. 

A serial burglar is back behind bars after going on a crime spree last month.

Fifth-strike burglar Kyle Mawson knew he was wanted on recall to prison when he broke into six homes in six days last month.

Four of the properties that Mawson broke into were in his hometown of Ferryhill.

Neighbourhood officers arrested the 36-year-old and found him in possession of some of the items he had stolen.

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Mawson appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday this week (July 25), he pleaded guilty to six counts of burglary and four counts of fraud.

Mawson, of Ferryhill, was described to the court as “an absolute scourge” on householders and was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

A similar Ferryhill theft case was also wrapped up in Magistrates court this week. Wayne MacMaster and Jessica Copland were arrested following a string of thefts in Ferryhill.

MacMaster, 34, was charged with eight counts of theft and two counts of using threatening words/behaviour to cause alarm or distress.

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Copland, 32, of Stephenson Street, Ferryhill, was charged with three counts of theft and appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on June 22, where she pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay compensation.

MacMaster, also of Stephenson Street, Ferryhill, appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on July 19 and pleaded guilty to the charges.

He was sentenced to a 12-month drug rehabilitation order, two-year community order, made to pay compensation and has been made subject to an exclusion order which prevents him from entering the town’s Co-Op and Sainsbury’s stores for two years.

Also being put back behind bars is Andrew Callan.

Read more: Ferryhill offender jailed for spree of six burglaries in six days

The 43-year-old, of Brinkburn Road, Darlington, was arrested after threatening to burn down the West Cornforth Partnership building on July 18.

He was swiftly charged and put before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and sentenced to 22 weeks in prison on July 20.

The force said: "The Ferryhill Neighbourhood Team would like to thank the community for their continued support in providing information to help put these prolific offenders back behind bars."