Cars valued at £66,000 were taken after a "two-in-one" break-in at a family house in a County Durham village in the early hours of June 18, a court heard.

A woman sleeping with her husband woke after hearing noise downstairs, at about 1am.

When she looked from the window of the house, in Coxhoe, she noticed both their cars, a Porsche Macan and a Volkswagen Golf, had been stolen.

Durham Crown Court was told entry to the house was found to have been made via a conservatory door and the keys to both cars were taken from the kitchen.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said the ring door ball camera showed at least three people were involved, but only one was identified.

An hour later a police officer found defendant Shauny Lee May sitting in the driver’s seat of the stolen Golf, in Sherburn Village.

He was wearing a balaclava mask and when he saw the officer he tried to run away but he was found and detained while trying to hide in a bush.

Mr Towers told the court that when cautioned for suspected theft, May responded: “I’ve literally just bought it.”

He was searched and found in possession of a screwdriver and mole grips, while his footprints were found at the burglary scene.

When he was later interviewed, 18-year-old May denied involvement in the burglary.

But the, now, 19-year-old defendant, of Woodland View, West Rainton, pleaded guilty to burglary, the associated thefts of the two motor vehicles, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

May admitted those charges at a plea hearing at the court on July 26.

His antecedent history was said to feature an aggravated vehicle taking offence two years ago, while he received a conditional discharge and a driving ban for a year in July 2023.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

In a victim statement, read to the court sentencing hearing, the burglary and car theft victim said since the incident in June, the slightest noise keeps her awake and makes her anxious, while she and her husband were concerned for the security of their house when they are away from home.

Since the offences took place they have changed cars and house locks as well as investing in security cameras and lighting for the house.

She added that it terrified her thinking what might have happened had she gone downstairs during the break-in, itself.

Helen Towers, in mitigation, said the defendant has limited previous offences on his record and made admissions at the plea hearing in the case.

She told the court her client gave the Probation Service “some explanation” for his role in the offence when interviewed for his pre-sentence report.

“It’s taken as a group of young people who have seemingly driven across to a house where a Porsche is on the driveway and taken the opportunity to take this vehicle.

"At the height, there was some planning, but not significant planning.”

Miss Towers said the defendant, who has been on remand in Durham Prison since his admissions at the plea hearing more than a month ago, may be prone to falling under the influence of “negative peers” if he spends more time in custody at his still young age, having only turned 19 on Friday (August 30).

Judge Nathan Adams told May he was part of a group committing a burglary and high value vehicle theft, at a combined total of £66,000, only 11 months after receiving a “warning” by way of a conditional discharge, and a one-year driving ban.

“The question is: ‘What to do with you in this case?’

“To your credit, there’s a level of remorse, albeit somewhat minimal by saying you were part of a group and pressured in.

“You were a willing participant.

“You have a lot of maturing to do and you need to grow up fast, otherwise you will just spend longer and longer in prison.

“Having been on remand for more than a month you have now had taste of prison so that might force home the impact of your behaviour for offences you engaged in, in June.”

Judge Adams said with “heavy intervention” in the community it may steer the defendant away from further offending in future.

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Imposing a 22-month prison sentence, Judge Adams said he would suspend it for 18 months, during which the defendant must take part in 30 rehabilitation activity days overseen by the Probation Service, as well as observe a six-month trail monitoring requirement, tagging his movements.

He is also now banned from driving for a further 18 months.

Judge Adams warned the defendant of the potential consequences if he does not comply with the order, or if he commits a further offence.