A SON who burgled his mother's home while she enjoyed a weekend break was jailed for three years yesterday.

Anthony Devlin, 35, broke a rear window to gain entry to his mother's property then accidentally started a fire that caused substantial damage to every room of the house, in Eglinton Street, Sunderland.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the blaze burned itself out without the fire brigade attending, and the first the victim knew of the damage was when she returned from Blackpool.

While in the house, Devlin took £1,200 in cash, jewellery and a video recorder.

Prosecutors accepted that Devlin did not start the fire deliberately. He said he must have fallen asleep with a cigarette in his hand while in the house.

Devlin was arrested and told police he was high on amphetamines when he carried out the burglary.

Jamie Adams, in mitigation, said Devlin was sorry for what happened.

He said: "If ever there was an offence where it could be said the consequences were not intended, it must be this one."

Devlin, of Featherstone Street, Roker, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to arson and burglary.

Judge Tim Hewitt said: "When your mother discovered what had happened, she was obviously distraught, and the more so when she found out it was her own son who had caused all this damage and had stolen from her."

He said it was still a mystery how the fire started, but accepted Devlin did not start it deliberately.