A TEENAGER who was orphaned after his mother contracted Aids during a blood transfusion was jailed yesterday.

Andrew Paxton, 18, turned to crime after his mother, father and baby brother died of the virus. Newcastle Crown Court heard how his crime spree started after he was released from foster care and was unable to cope with living alone.

Having once lived in a happy, respectable home, he drifted into a life of crime and drug abuse.

Yesterday, he was jailed for 12 months for a further burglary, driving while disqualified, driving without a licence and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.

The court heard that, on October 12 last year, he broke into a house in Newcastle and stole a car to drive away the stolen property.

Defence barrister Anthony Hawks told the court: "This young man came from a very respectable decent family.

"When he was about ten years old, his mother fell pregnant with his younger brother.

"She was given a routine blood transfusion which was polluted with the Aids virus.

"As a result, she contracted Aids, his father contracted Aids and the child was born with Aids. Within a short period of time, the father, mother and younger brother all died."

Judge David Wood jailed Andrew, of Coldbeck Close in Newcastle, for 12 months.

He said: "Whatever sympathy the court may have for your history, the court has a duty to protect people from having their houses burgled."