Burglar did not intend to steal from house in County Durham village

But defendant Lex Taylor was said to have forcibly entered the property, in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, for "squatting" purposes rather than to remove items, in late June last year.

Durham Crown Court was told that faced with a charge of burglary, 22-year-old Taylor failed to attend two hearings in the case, earlier this year.

He has been in custody since his re-arrest after the second of those hearings, on June 25.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Taylor previously denied burglary, but, with a trial date set for August 13, he changed plea and admitted the offence at a hearing on July 10, when he was also dealt with for the bail act offences.

Tony Dunne, prosecuting, told today's (Tuesday, August 6) sentencing hearing that the occupant of the targeted address, in Jubilee Terrace, left his home to visit relatives in Scotland, on June 27, last year.

He received a phone call two days later informing him his property had been broken into, and, on returning home, found beading around one window had been removed, a back window forced and a large kitchen window smashed with a rock.

Mr Dunne said the resident noticed the bed in a spare bedroom was stripped of bedding and items he had been sorting out were placed into a box.

He was unaware of any property having been taken other than a lock barrel from the kitchen, although the key was remained present.

In a victim statement he said every time he leaves the premises since the burglary he fears he may be about to be burgled.

Mr Dunne said the defendant's fingerprints were recovered from the kitchen window, which appeared to have been the point of entry.

Taylor, now of Shirley Close, Bishop Auckland, was said to have eight convictions for 17 offences, including previous non-dwelling burglaries, for which he received short custodial sentences.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Richard Canning, in mitigation, said there was, "limited damage", as a result of the defendant's actions, compared to most burglaries.

Mr Canning said the defendant, who suffers with autism and Asperger's, was, at the time, "leading a chaotic lifestyle, being homeless, which is why he missed court dates."

He told the court: "The defendant's primary motivation was not financial benefit, but he wanted to squat there for a short time as he thought the property was unoccupied.

"He wanted to get off the streets for a few days, so it was not motivated by trying to benefit financially from stealing other people's property.

"He says he has no reason to offend in future.

"At that time he was homeless and, since then, his offending has reduced significantly from last summer when it peaked."

Judge Jo Kidd told the defendant that as a result of his actions the victim is nervous living at home, but also frightened what might happen when he leaves.

She said the defendant may have mental health issues and learning difficulties, but she added that an updated report by the Probation Service, prepared for the hearing, "does not make for happy reading."

Taylor was said to have, "not responded well" to previous non-custodial orders.

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Judge Kidd said the report could not offer any recommended alternative other than a custodial sentence.

She imposed a ten-month immediate prison sentence, including 14 days in prison for both failures to attend court earlier this year.

The judge told Taylor that he would be released at some stage before the mid-point of the sentence, but will then be subject of licence supervision in the community, to which he must abide or risk returning to prison.