A BURGLAR who raided a couple's home as they slept was locked up for 20 months after a court heard of the devastating impact it has had on the victims.

The householders were unable to sleep, are anxious when they hear noises downstairs and wanted to sell their home after the September break-in.

A judge at Teesside Crown Court told 21-year-old intruder Daniel Cameron today (Monday, January 23): "Burglary is an offence that has a profound effect on victims."

The court heard how the couple were woken by noises at about 3am and discovered a lap-top computer, iPad, handbag and savings in bottles had been taken.

The husband jumped in his car and toured the streets of Middlesbrough looking for the suspect - and saw two men crouching down behind a vehicle.

The pair ran off, and the victim found his bottles had been split open and dumped in the street, but also discovered another with £1,300 on his own drive.

He found the lap-top under the car where the raiders had been hiding! and Cameron's fingerprint was detected on it, prosecutor Harry Hadfield said.

Cameron admitted taking the computer and the money, but when he was asked by police about the iPad, he replied: "F*** knows where that went."

Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, told Judge John Walford that the burglar's recollection was "opaque" and "very vague" because he had been drinking and taking drugs.

"He had given to him a number of tablets, and he didn't know what they were," said Mr Soppitt. "He took them and they must have had a powerful effect on him.

"That's no comfort to the householders. This burglary must have been deeply distressing. His usual intoxicants of choice are alcohol and cannabis."

Cameron, of Longford Street, Middlesbrough, admitted a charge of burglary, and Mr Soppitt urged the judge to consider a suspended jail sentence.

But Judge Walford told him: "If I had only you to think about, I might have been tempted to suspend the sentence, but I have to think not only of the victims of this burglary, but other victims of burglary offences who are considerably affected by what has happened to them.

"You should appreciate, as I hope you do now, that when you do burgle someone's home you have a profound effect on their ability to enjoy that house because it makes them feel unsafe, insecure and anxious."

In an impact statement, the householder said: "It has massively affected us. If I wake up in the night, I will sit up listening, not able to get back to sleep.

"The people responsible have left us feeling insecure in our own home and constantly worried. This is not how we should have to live."