A MAN is to stand trial accused of burgling two homes and trying to break into an outhouse at another nearby property within a short period in the early hours of the morning.

Police were informed that a man had been detained by a householder, suspicious about his activities, in Fairbairn Road, Peterlee, shortly after 5.30am on Thursday August 3.

Durham Crown Court heard the man who held onto the suspected burglar lived at the property where an attempt was made to enter the outhouse shortly beforehand that morning.

The court was told he captured images of the would be intruder, who was hooded and wearing dark boots and gloves, on cctv coverage of the back yard of his home.

Louise Harrison, prosecuting, said about an hour earlier a house in Bruce Place, Peterlee, was broken into, during which a boy was disturbed and awoke in his bedroom to see the burglar.

A lap-top computer, a tablet device, an iPad touch and a mobile phone were taken in that burglary.

The man detained in Fairbairn Road was said to have some of those electrical items on him, at the time.

He was also in possession of van keys, taken in a subsequent break-in at a house in Jude Place, which is also in close proximity to the location of the other incidents.

Asked about his explanation for being out on the street at such a time, defence counsel, Fiona Lamb, said Mr Jones told police he was visiting his brother’s address, in Robson Avenue, Peterlee, where they had been drinking and smoking into the early hours.

Ms Lamb said he left his brother’s home to go to a nearby petrol station to buy more cigarettes, but on arrival found it closed and was making his way back when the householder in Faribairn Road detained him.

Later in the morning a claw hammer was found in the street by the same man when he was walking his dog.

Miss Harrison said the outcome of forensic testing on some of the recovered items is awaited by the prosecution.

The charges were put to the defendant at a plea hearing at the court, and Mr Jones pleaded ‘not guilty’ to both burglaries and attempting to enter the outhouse with intent to steal.

A date was agreed for a trial, expected to last a little more than a day in court time, to start on a day to be fixed in the week of December 11.

The defendant, aged 28, of Wylam Road, North Shields, was bailed until then.