A BURGLAR who raided the home of an 85-year-old woman immediately confessed when police questioned him.

David Young cut himself smashing a kitchen window at the home, in Dene Villas, Chester-le-Street, when the householder was out staying with a relative, in March.

Durham Crown Court was told she returned home the following day to find it ransacked, with at least two gold watches, a pension book, some silver and several items of great sentimental value taken.

Roger Elsey, prosecuting, said Young was traced through forensic evidence, and when questioned by police simply responded "guilty".

He said he had sold some items to an unnamed person, although the rest was recovered and returned to his victim.

Robin Patton, mitigating, told the court: "There's little I can say on his behalf that is attractive, but he did help the police to recover the items."

Young, 25, of Victor Street, Chester-le-Street, who admitted the burglary, plus theft of four cans of beer from a shop, was jailed for two years.