A REPEAT burglar struck at a terraced house, taking keys to a car parked outside while a couple were upstairs, a court heard.

On coming downstairs a woman saw a figure in her partner’s Rover 25, trying to start it, at 9pm on October 9.

Durham Crown Court heard she saw the car being driven from Porter Terrace, in Murton, heading towards the local cenotaph.

She shouted to her partner who discovered his car keys were missing, while noticing the small kitchen window was wide open.

His partner described the man who took the car and it matched Lee Hocking, who visited the previous day asking for money.

Jonathan Harley, prosecuting, said those suspicions were confirmed when the victim looked at Hocking’s social media profile.

Police recovered a finger print from the window, suggesting Hocking reached in to grab the keys.

Mr Harley said Hocking was arrested a week later and claimed he could not recall what he was doing that evening.

He was later picked out on a video identity parade.

Hocking said he had gone to the house previously and may have reached through the window for a cigarette to account for the print lift.

The resident confirmed Hocking called the day before the burglary and searched for money, without success.

He confirmed he was fearful of the unwanted visitor, due to what he had heard of his reputation.

Hocking, a fourth-strike burglar, has 31 convictions for 42 offences.

The 29-year-old defendant, formerly of Calvert Terrace, Murton, admitted burglary and vehicle taking.

Neil Bennett, mitigating, said it was accepted Hocking had been to the house previously, but there was no suggestion he behaved in a threatening manner.

“There were no hallmarks here of significant planning, there was no damage caused and the vehicle was subsequently recovered.”

Mr Bennett added that at the time of the burglary he had no fixed address following his release from a previous prison sentence.

Jailing him for three years, with a 20-per cent discount for his guilty plea, Judge Simon Hickey made a seven-year restraining order preventing Hocking contacting the burglary victim.