A BURGLAR who preyed on elderly female householders to feed a drug addiction has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Andrew Savage was confronted during a break-in at the home of an 87-year-old woman who was awoken by a noise, at 2.45am, on July 4.

She walked on to the landing of the house, in Brandon, County Durham, saw Savage in an adjoining bedroom.

Durham Crown Court heard that, on seeing her, he fled the house.

Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said the victim tried to make a 999 call to report the burglary, but, still in shock, mis-dialled.

The recipient of the call understood what she was trying to tell him and contacted the police.

Miss Waugh said £370 was taken in the burglary, while police found a 2ft wooden stick and a clear plastic glove, from which Savage's finger- print was found.

By the time the forensic service confirmed the match, he was already in custody after being arrested following three "sneak-in" burglaries at houses in Brandon, on July 13.

Two of the targeted premises were occupied by women in their 80s, and the other was the home of a 65-year-old woman.

Savage, whose description was reported to police, was arrested while still in Brandon, with £558 and a mobile phone hidden in his boxer shorts, £278 in notes in his wallet, and a haul of stolen rings still in his hand.

Tim Gittins, mitigating, said: "The background to this is of a man heavily addicted to a combination of class A drugs."

Savage, 33, of Pine Avenue, Sherburn Road, Durham, admitted four charges of burglary.

Recorder Ian Thorp told Savage he appeared to deliberately target elderly female victims, who were left feeling "violated" by the break-ins.