A HEROIN addict who broke into a house while a young man was baby-sitting was jailed for more than two years yesterday.

John Browning, 19, of Glamis Walk, Hartlepool, admitted five charges including burglary at Teesside Crown Court.

Richard Parcell, prosecuting, told the court that on June 1 this year, Browning had gone to a house in Monkton Road, Hartlepool, where Edward Hanley was babysitting. Mr Hanley, he said, knew the defendant, and allowed him to have a glass of water.

However, later that night Browning returned to the house and started banging on the doors, but Mr Hanley would not let him in as he was frightened.

Mr Hanley, later found the patio doors had been forced and that property was missing.

Eight days later, Browning again broke into through patio doors, this time at a house in Jameson Road, and was seen leaving with two large black bin liners full of property.

Three more burglaries followed, Mr Parcell said, including one at Hamilton Grove at 5.45am on July 14.

The occupants of the house had heard a noise and went to look and saw a hand coming through a bedroom window. They opened the blind, the defendant saw them and climbed down a ladder and ran off.

Robert Galley, for Browning, said he had no previous convictions and was a bright and intelligent young man.

He had been introduced to heroin in April this year. Judge Michael Taylor sentenced him to 27 months in a young offenders' institution.