A BURGLAR told police he had been looking for a body when he was arrested in connection with a house break-in, a court heard.

Christopher Rae, 20, was apparently doing his "public duty" when he broke into a house at The Hollies, Redcar, East Cleveland, having been told there was a body inside.

After finding nothing, he and another man he refused to name, then decided to steal the keys to a Porsche 911 and a midi hi-fi system.

An attempt was then made to sell the car - a stripped down model used for racing - for £500, Jim Withyman, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court.

The owner of the house which was burgled was away on holiday at the time.

Mike Bosomworth, defending Rae, said the idea for the burglary came after a drinking session Rae had with his girlfriend's father.

Although Rae had previous convictions for mainly driving offences, his was "not the worst record in the world", Mr Bosomworth said, and he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Rae, who admitted burglary and theft, was given a two-year community punishment order by Judge Les Spittle.

He was also electronically tagged and ordered to maintain a curfew at an address at Parliament Road, Middlesbrough, between the hours of 9pm and 7am for the next four months.

The judge said he taken into account Rae's age and the fact that it was his first house burglary.