A MAN breached deferred sentence terms set by a judge, by making racist football related tweets, a court was told.

Peter Copeland, 29, was yesterday given a suspended jail sentence, but told he must “pay through the pocket” for the original “despicable” crime, having broken into the home of his then partner’s recently deceased mother.

Six weeks after the woman’s death, while his partner was away, Copeland burgled the unoccupied house, in West Rainton, near Durham City.

He took jewellery, most of which he sold for £2,508 to a pawnbroker in Sunderland, and £2,600 in cash.

Durham Crown Court heard that Copeland went on a drinking and gambling spree in Darlington, spending £1,100.

Most of the jewellery was recovered, but four rings and an earring are still missing.

Copeland, of Benridge Bank, West Rainton, admitted burglary at an earlier hearing.

Judge Christopher Prince delayed sentencing until yesterday, having previously told him he was minded to suspend an eight-month jail sentence providing he remained out of trouble, took steps to address his gambling addiction and began to pay costs and compensation.

Judge Prince was yesterday told that the Sunderland football fan has since attracted media publicity for making racial slurs about Newcastle United players on the social network site Twitter.

He admitted two charges of sending racially offensive messages on February 27 and was given a four-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs.

Judge Prince told him that the original burglary and the recent racist messages were “despicable offences”.

He sentenced Copeland to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a 12-month supervision order, during which he must perform 150 hours of unpaid work.

Copeland was also ordered to pay £2,500 to the pawnbroker, £1,100 to his former partner, and £340 in prosecution costs.

Copeland, a labourer said to earn £200 a week, was ordered to pay the costs and compensation at £50 a week.