A MAN has admitted breaking into a house and stealing a flat screen television set earlier this year.

Josh Slee previously denied a charge of burglary, of the property, in Gray Avenue, Murton, on January 24, and was due to undergo a trial at Durham Crown Court, set to start today (Monday September 14).

But, when the case came into court, his counsel, Yvonne Taylor, asked for the charge to be put again to the defendant, who pleaded ‘guilty’.

Mrs Taylor asked for a background report to be drawn up on her client, by the Probation Service, before he is sentenced.

Judge Tim Gittins agreed, and told Slee: “You have had the good sense to plead ‘guilty’ to this charge, albeit at a late stage, and you will receive due credit for that when you return for sentence.

“I’ll adjourn for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and I’ll grant you bail, but, in doing so, that should not be taken as any indication as to what the sentence will be.”

Twenty-one-year-old Slee, of Hylton Terrace, Sunderland, was bailed to return for sentence on Friday October 9.

His bail conditions prevent Slee from entering Murton.