A BURGLAR in a raid on a family home in which children's bedrooms were ransacked - and a seven-year-old's piggy bank emptied - has been jailed for 40 months.

John Henry Swailes was one of three intruders who forced their way into the house in Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, during the day while the family were out.

Durham Crown Court heard all the bedrooms were searched, with furniture and fittings damaged and strewn round.

Jewellery and cash, to the total value of £5,600 was taken, including a small amount saved up in a child's piggy bank.

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said the child’s mother, who left home at 10.30am, on December 6, received an alert on her phone at 3.55pm telling her the house alarm was sounding.

She returned home to find the alarm still sounding, lights left on and a hole in an internal wall with plaster scattered round.

The woman, who was with another of her children, was initially scared to go upstairs in case the intruders were still there.

It was only later when she did venture upstairs that the full extent of the damage and loss was realised.

Mr Abrahams said CCTV footage revealed three men enter the house and use walkie-talkies to speak with each other.

A torch was recovered which provided a DNA match to 22-year-old Swailes.

Mr Abrahams said when he was arrested, on January 12, efforts were made to try to hide his telephone. Items seen on the CCTV were recovered from his home, including the walkie-talkies.

When arrested and interviewed he gave he gave no comment replies.

Mr Abrahams told the court the incident has had a great effect on the children, who feared those responsible may return and repeat the crime.

Swailes, of Riverside Park Road, Middlesbrough, admitted burglary.

The court heard that although he has other offences on his record, it was his first burglary conviction.

Angus MacDonald, mitigating, said: "The best point in his favour was his early guilty plea and he asks me to convey his remorse.

“He accepts it was a stupid act, he deeply regrets. He was not thinking properly and just followed the crowd.”

Jailing him, however, Judge Christopher Prince told Swailes: “This was a very professional and well-planned burglary.

“You clearly targeted the house and knew what you were doing, using walkie-talkies.

“You even stole a child’s savings from a piggy bank. It doesn’t get much lower than that.”

Judge Prince added that had it gone to a trial, Swailes would have received a five-year sentence.