AN 87-year-old man was left in tears when police showed him CCTV footage of his great-nephew stealing money from his bank account.

The pensioner was targeted on three occasions by Edward Harry Platts who attempted to blame his own father for the three burglaries and two frauds.

The 25-year-old used his father's key for his great-uncle's Redcar home to gain access to the bungalow and steal his bank card before withdrawing £240 in cash on two occasions in September last year.

In October he forced open a window at the property before attempting to locate the bank card to withdraw even more money to pay for 'alcohol and drugs', Teesside Crown Court heard.

Vicki Lamballe, prosecuting, said when the defendant was arrested his made a brief attempt to implicate his own father before being confronted with the CCTV image of him using the cashpoint.

She said his great-uncle had been left devastated by the breach of trust and cried when police showed him the picture of his great-nephew withdrawing money from his bank account.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, said Platts, of Queensway, Saltburn, had shown genuine remorse for his behaviour. He said: "Immaturity, along with poor decision making, has led to the commissioning of these offences and his family, understandably, has disowned him. There is shock and disgust within his family which he finds hard to accept but understands why the family have taken the decision that they have."

Judge Anthony Brown branded Platts' behaviour as 'shameful' after 'betraying' his great-uncle's trust and affections to steal money to clear his drug debts and pay for his cocaine habit.

He said: "On two occasions, you went to his house took the card, took the money and spent it on alcohol and drugs. It's not difficult to see why your family has disowned you."

Platts was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years for burglary and a 12 month suspended sentence for fraud.

He was also ordered to carry out 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a drug rehabilitation requirement course and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Brown warned Platts that if he breached any condition of his suspended sentence that he would be facing a prison sentence.

Platts was issued with a five-year restraining order to stay away from his great-uncle's home.