A drug addict burglar who was given a final chance by a judge broke into another home just 13 days after his sentence was deferred.

Barry Lowery was warned on June 6 that unless he stayed out of trouble and tried to find a job he would be facing two-and-a-half years behind bars after admitting a burglary.

The 25-year-old had ransacked a pensioner's home in St Oswalds Drive, in Durham, and took £500 worth of her belongings.

Judge Guy Whitburn was persuaded to defer sentence for six months in a bid to help him get his life back in order.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday how on June 19 he broke into a student flat, in New Street, in the city and took a lap-top computer worth £1,600.

He then went on to raid another pensioner's home in The Sands, Durham, on June 30 while the elderly woman occupant slept.

Lowery also asked for 24 further offences, including theft from motor vehicles and burglaries, to be taken into consideration.

His barrister, Martin Towers, said: "His problem of course is that he is a drug addict. He has attempted today to wipe the slate clean."

Judge Whitburn imposed the two-and-a-half year sentence for the first burglary.

He was sentenced to a further 18 months behind bars for the two subsequent burglaries and the offences to be taken into consideration, making a total of four years.