AN elderly couple have been left living in fear after a drunken intruder was found asleep in their spare bedroom, having been sick on the floor, a court heard.

But the retired school secretary and her terminally-ill husband have been given some reassurance, after a judge remanded their uninvited ‘visitor’, Michael Lee Gray, in custody, at least until the day he is sentenced, later this month.

Twenty-eight-year-old Gray was on bail, facing sentence for breaching a previous suspended jail term and for causing criminal damage, arising from his drunken antics in Stanley, on the night of November 27 last year.

But, having failed to appear at a previous sentencing hearing at Durham Crown Court, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

He subsequently appeared in court voluntarily, claiming he got his dates mixed up, and his bail was extended as he was still seeking legal aid to meet the cost of being represented by a lawyer, in court

But when Gray, of Skiddaw Court, Stanley, appeared at court for the last listed sentencing hearing, on Friday, he was still unrepresented.

The court heard that although arrangements were in hand for him to be represented, he had failed to provide the necessary paperwork to ensure a legal aid contribution was granted.

On hearing this, Judge Christopher Prince remanded Gray in custody, telling him he had been given two chances to make arrangements to be legally represented, which he had spurned.

But as the female householder was present at court, expecting the case to proceed, Judge Prince allowed her victim statement to be read to the hearing, by prosecuting counsel Andrew White.

Mr White said the woman, who is herself registered blind and in poor general health, felt “absolutely devastated” by the incident.

She is now said to be nervous in her own home, struggling with day-to-day activities, trying to look after her cancer-suffering husband.

Mr White told the court: “She says she doesn’t believe this man (Gray) realises the devastation he has caused.”

Judge Prince said he would adjourn sentencing Gray for a fortnight to allow him further time to secure legal aid to ensure he is represented.

But, remanding him in custody, to provide some respite for the victims, Judge Prince said arrangements should be made to provide a video link of the sentencing hearing on March 17 to enable them to watch proceedings from their own home, without having to go to the trouble of coming to court.