A JUDGE has asked for impact statements from the latest victims of a prolific burglar who has targeted student accommodation and university properties.

It follows John William Wilson’s admissions to two break-ins at Durham University buildings, in March.

Durham Crown Court heard the first was at the School of Applied Social Sciences, in Old Elvet, between Sunday and Monday, March 12/13.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said eight different electrical devices, three lap-tops, three iPads and two computer note books, were taken, after a rear window was smashed.

Mr Morley said the second break-in took place at St John’s College, in South Bailey, Durham, between Wednesday and Thursday, March 23/24.

A drinks machine was forced open and its contents removed, although, as it was the Easter holiday period, it contained only a few pounds in float.

Mr Morley said of greater expense was the cost of repairing the damaged machine.

As a result of forensic evidence recovered from the burgled premises, Wilson was arrested a month later.

He gave immediate ‘guilty’ pleas to two counts of burglary when he appeared before magistrates, who sent the case to the crown court for sentence due to Wilson’s record for such offending.

Mr Morley said the 40-year-old defendant, appearing via video link from Durham Prison, has 71 convictions for 139 offences, including many non-domestic burglaries.

Judge Christopher Prince said he would delay sentencing Wilson until efforts have been made to gather victim impact statements from the owners of the stolen devices.

“I announced earlier in the year that in these cases, owners of such devices should be afforded the opportunity to outline the impact of their loss.

“For years courts are told monetary values of such items, but everybody knows, whether it be theft of a smart phone, or a computer, or tablet, and similar devices, there may be a vast amount of very valuable information lost, if it hasn’t been backed up by the user.

“There may be years of work which can’t be retrieved, while, in other cases, there may be photographs of great sentimental value stored on the device, which are lost to the owners.”

He said this may result in a greater loss than the monetary value of the stolen items, possibly affecting sentence.

The hearing was adjourned and Wilson, of the Changing Lives men’s hostel, in Plawsworth, near Chester-le-Street, was remanded in custody until Friday June 17.