A binge burglar branded a “scourge” on householders in his home town has received a surprise 12-month deduction to his prison term after a judge “reflected” on the sentence.

Kyle Mawson, already a “fifth-strike” burglar, committed six domestic break-ins during a six-day spree in June, knowing he was wanted on recall to prison for failing to comply with the licence conditions from a previous sentence.

Four of the break-ins were committed at people’s homes in Ferryhill and the other two were in Durham, in both of which there was a confrontation with a resident.

Durham Crown Court heard some were sneak-in burglaries and others via smashed windows, in one causing more damage than the amount of petty cash he stole.

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

Mawson was arrested still in possession of some of the items stolen after the alarm was raised following the second of the Durham burglaries, both in the Whinney Hill area, in late afternoon on June 19.

The 36-year-old serial burglar, of Bessemer Street, Ferryhill, went on to admit all six burglary charges arising from the spree, plus two of fraud, for making small purchases with bank cards stolen in the break-ins.

His sentencing hearing, at the court last week, was told his 44 past convictions for 65 offences, include five domestic break-ins, dating back to 2008.

Recorder Peter Makepeace KC described Mawson as, “a professional burglar”, “violating” people’s homes to feed his drug addiction.

He told Mawson he was, “an absolute scourge” on the community and passed a 56-month prison sentence (four years and eight months), which would have been seven-years but for his guilty pleas.

Read more: Ferryhill burglars and Newton Aycliffe arsonists locked up

Recorder Makepeace, however, subsequently called the case back before the court to re-address the sentence passed.

He told Mawson he had taken time to reflect on the sentence.

"Some people may think judges pass sentence and just move on.

“But, it’s important to stand back and I have considered a number of authorities.

“Sophisticated, well-organised burglaries may justify sentences of seven years or more.

“Your offending could not be called that.

“It may be described as ‘opportunistic’, in that you were looking at opportunities.”

He said for that reason the starting point should have been 66 months, with a one-third reduction to reflect his guilty pleas, making a total sentence of 44 months (three years and eight months).

But Recorder Makepeace said he would make a recommendation to be passed on to the Probation Service that upon his release from prison, Mawson should be electronically monitored to track his movements during the post custodial licence period.

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He added: “The net effect represents a deduction in the sentence you received.

“You can expect to serve up to half of that sentence in custody.”

Mawson, who appeared via video link from Durham Prison, asked his counsel Kelly Clarke to confirm the figures meant a reduction in sentence of 12 months.