A CONVICTED burglar rang his grandmother to check she was away from home before breaking into her house, a court heard.

Ricky Burdess removed a lap-top computer, a quantity of jewellery, some cash and a coat, from the property in Peterlee.

David Lamb, prosecuting, told Durham Crown Court: “He made the phone call to her beforehand and so must have known she was out.”

Mr Lamb said nearby CCTV footage showed him approaching the house on Saturday, October 29.

It was one of two burglary charges admitted by 26-year-old Burdess, of Pentland Close, Peterlee, during a video link hearing from nearby Durham Prison.

Mr Lamb said the other break-in was committed at another house, “a short walk from where he was living at the time.”

Two computer games consoles, a quantity of computer games, a tablet computer and charger were removed from the premises, in Brecon Close, on August 28.

The court heard that an acquaintance of the defendant lived there and Burdess knew he was away from home at the time.

Mr Lamb said he was pinpointed as responsible once the result came through from a forensic test on fingerprint lift taken at the premises.

The court heard the conviction made Burdess subject of the “three strikes” provisions and was also committed during the licence period of a previous four-year sentence for a night-time aggravated burglary of Peterlee Catholic Club, where a quantity of alcohol was taken by Burdess and at least one accomplice, who was armed with a handgun.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said Burdess was resigned to a mandatory three-year sentence being passed for his latest crimes.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Christopher Prince told Burdess: “There’s a striking meanness in making sure your grandmother is out before breaking into her house to steal from her.”