A BURGLAR was caught by police as he ransacked a house, a court heard.

A neighbour telephoned police when she saw David Soley climb over a wall and disappear around the back of a house.

Police, who were quickly on the scene in Darlington, found a broken rear window and they climbed through it.

Inside they saw a scene of devastation, said Jonnie Walker, prosecuting.

Every room had been ransacked, drawers emptied and clothing flung around.

Teesside Crown Court heard how officers forced an upstairs door and inside they saw Soley, 19, who threw punches at them and kicked out with both feet.

Eventually, he was subdued, put on the floor and handcuffed.

In his pocket they found a lock knife.

Jewellery and expensive cameras had been set aside for removal.

Soley's footwear matched prints found at a break-in at Beaumont Hill School, Darlington, where a home theatre system, video and compact disc player and television set worth £780 were stolen, said Mr Walker,

Soley also admitted stealing a mobile phone from a car earlier and he was on bail for carrying a knife.

Recorder Simon Thorp told Soley: "Against a background of an appalling record the burglaries are so serious that no other sentence apart from custody can be justified."

Soley of Corbridge Crescent, Darlington, pleaded guilty to the two burglaries, resisting arrest, theft, possession of a lock knife and failing to surrender to bail between September and October last year.

He was jailed for a total of 27 months.