TWO burglars have been jailed after stealing a disabled man’s life savings which he collected in a whiskey jar at his home.

Joanne Bailey tried to distract the 71-year-old victim by asking him for a cup of coffee in his kitchen after visiting him at his home in Middleton Avenue, Middlesbrough.

Bailey’s accomplice Lee Jaworski then took the whiskey jar, containing £125 cash, from a fireplace. Teesside Crown Court heard how Bailey was known to the one-legged pensioner who occasionally allowed her to visit his home.

In a statement the victim said he felt angry about the theft and said his “trust had been abused”.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said Bailey had spent ten minutes in the property, despite being asked to leave.

She said: “The Crown say this was a targeted, planned offence. Bailey knew [the victim] was vulnerable.”

Bailey, 36, of Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, admitted burglary on June 13. In mitigation, Robert Mochrie, said she had spent years struggling with a heroin addiction.

He said: “She understands what she did was wrong and she stands by her plea.”

Mr Mochrie said the defendant had a lack of relevant previous convictions and was attempting to fill her time by volunteering for the Salvation Army.

Jaworski, 39, of Borough Road, Middlesbrough, also pleaded guilty to the joint burglary charge, as well as a further burglary on August 11 at The Star public house in the town’s Southfield Road while he was on police bail.

He went behind the bar and stole a bottle of Sambuca and two bottles of Rare Goose vodka, worth £280 in total, but was detained at the scene and the alcohol recovered.

He was said to have mental difficulties, receiving help from the charity Mind, and was also on a methadone programme.

Jaworski was described as being “totally ashamed” of his involvement in the pensioner’s burglary. He also risked losing supported accommodation he had lined up if he was jailed, Judge Howard Crowson was told.

Addressing the two defendants, the judge said: “He [the victim] is physically handicapped and both of you took advantage of that.”

He added: “It was targeted, it was known that he had the money there and you went and took it. He will never see it again and you will never repay it I imagine.”

Bailey was jailed for two years and Jaworski for two years, one month.