TWO men went on a cross-boundary crime spree one night, culminating in a burglary from the bedroom of a man who was awoken from his sleep by their actions.

Jordan Douglas and Mark Riddell, from Hendon, Sunderland, drove to Sacriston, in County Durham, where they committed two offences of attempted burglary and one successful break-in, in the early hours of August 20.

Durham Crown Court heard they used the Nissan Qashqai belonging to Douglas’s former partner, driving off with £67 worth of diesel which they failed to pay for, from a filling station in Bournmoor, at 12.05am.

Jonathan Harley, prosecuting, said shortly after 1am they tried to carry out a ram raid at a convenience store, in Front Street, Sacriston, reversing into shutters and causing damage, but failing to force entry.

Ten minutes later Douglas tried the door to an unoccupied house in St Cuthbert’s Drive, before crossing the road to the Qashqai, with Riddell by then at the wheel.

Mr Harley said within 20 minutes, a man sleeping in a downstairs room at a neighbouring house woke to see a male, Douglas, climbing through the window, just above him.

He screamed and tried to grab the intruder, who escaped with a mobile phone, a lap-top computer, a camera, lens and bag, worth a total of £1,775, plus a wallet, bank cards, and £80 cash.

Mr Harley said a few minutes later an off-duty police officer saw two males crawling behind another Qashqai, which was minus its front registration plates, in nearby Edmondsley.

When other officers arrived the pair ran off, but Douglas was chased and detained, while Riddell was arrested later.

Douglas, 29, and 37-year-old Riddell, both of East Vines, Sunderland, each admitted burglary, two counts of attempted burglary, one burglary, plus driving while disqualified and without insurance. Douglas also admitted two counts of theft.

Jamie Adams, for Douglas, said crack cocaine “brought him to his knees” and was behind, “this night of madness”.

Jonathan Walker, for Riddell, said he was on a “merry-go-round” of committing crime and spending time behind bars in recent years.

Judge Jonathan Carroll passed sentences totalling 44 months and two weeks on Douglas and 42 months and two weeks, on Riddell.

Both were banned from driving for a year on their release from prison.