A THREE-STRIKES burglar reverted to type at a time he was misusing a class C drug to relieve pain after suffering a severe leg injury, a court heard.

Elliott Bowery committed the, “opportunistic, reach in” burglary on passing student digs in Gilesgate, Durham, where a window was left open.

Durham Crown Court was told he took a leather ruck-sack which was left on the back of a chair just inside the ground floor bedroom window.

Joe Culley, prosecuting, said the bag, worth £98, contained a purse, with bank, student identity and rail cards.

The student involved only realised the bag was missing on October 2, last year, after noticing the window appeared slightly further opened than it previously had been.

She made an immediate check with her bank and discovered her bank card had been used for three contactless transactions that day, at a petrol service station, at a convenience store and at a fast food takeaway, all in the Gilesgate area, for amounts totalling £54.15.

Mr Culley said the student was reimbursed for those amounts, but her bag and purse, itself which cost £45, were never recovered.

Bowery was identified by different police officers who observed CCTV footage from the area of the store and service station that morning.

The 25-year-old defendant, of Sharp Crescent, Gilesgate, admitted three counts of fraud, relating to the contactless card transactions, but denied the burglary, when he appeared at a plea hearing at the court, on November 22.

He claimed he received the card from someone else, and a trial date on that charge was fixed for later this month.

But, appearing back before the court, by video link from HMP Holme House, in Stockton, Sharp changed his plea and admitted the burglary.

The court heard he has 23 convictions for 36 offences, including three past domestic burglaries and, more recently, for several commercial burglaries.

Read more: Burglar jailed for break-in at Durham micro-pub

Mr Culley said the defendant was on licence from his previous sentence for a shop break-in at the time of his latest offending, in early October.

Lewis Kerr, for Bowery, said as a, now, “fourth strike” dwelling burglar, he was aware that the starting point in sentencing is three years.

“Explaining why he has gone back to committing this-type of burglary, he tells me that he injured his leg severely and had to have metal plates fitted.

“He became addicted to pregabalin tablets and, in his general need for money to fund his addiction, he was not thinking clearly while in a state of intoxication.”

Mr Kerr said it was, “an opportunistic offence”, but while back in custody, Bowery has managed to, “get a grip on the drug misuse he was inflicting upon himself.”

Jailing him for 30 months, Recorder Jamie Hill QC told Bowery he was, “obliged” to impose the minimum three-year sentence, but with a six-month deduction to reflect his guilty pleas.

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