A PROLIFIC burglar who preyed on student property was caught after police waited for him to collect stolen goods.

Durham Crown Court heard that items taken in a break-in at student digs in Lawson Terrace, in the city, were left in a hold-all in an outhouse.

Assuming they were stolen, the officers lay in wait and arrested Dean Neasham when he arrived on his bicycle.

Anne Haugstad, prosecuting, said his footprint was found at the scene of another student-house burglary in which a laptop computer worth £1,400 was taken.

Neasham was also arrested at the scene of an attempt to burgle student premises, after an occupant rang police.

The court was told 28-year-old Neasham, of Providence Close, Durham, had 14 previous burglary convictions.

He admitted burglary, attempted burglary and two offences of handling stolen goods.

Mark Styles, in mitigation, said he had to accept Neasham had, "a bad record", but said he had kept out of trouble for three years until the latest offences.

"The root cause is debt. He's an articulate and intelligent man, but he lost his job through no fault of his own and he and his partner fell into serious debt."

Mr Styles added that Neasham knew a prison sentence was likely, but added that he had already spent three months in custody on remand.

Jailing him for three years, Recorder John Muir told Neasham: "You were involved in offences of dishonesty relating to students' homes in this city.

"These houses were a soft target for you and valuable equipment was taken, some of which would have been vital to its owner's studies."

He said the length of sentence was merited as he had a long history of burglary in the past.