A teenager repeatedly pestered lone and vulnerable householders for money, often offering to perform odd jobs for them, in breach of criminal behaviour and suspended sentence orders,

James Carr also sneaked into the home of one of his victims, taking £60 from in front of a TV set, and also stole a tool from another woman’s garage which he entered without permission.

Durham Crown Court heard that Carr turned up at both women’s homes, in Bevan Grove, Gilesgate Moor, without invitation, touting for work, but was refused, in July this year.

Dr Chris Wood, prosecuting, said this was in breach of a criminal behaviour order (CBO) imposed in July last year prohibiting him from seeking work for payment at people’s homes.

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But within a few weeks he breached the order by turning up at a man’s home in The Moorlands, Gilesgate, Durham, asking for money to support him at a time he claimed to be looking after an ill elderly relative, which Dr Wood said was an untruthful claim.

Carr also repeatedly called an overseas student in Durham, asking for support as he had fallen on hard times.

The student gave him assistance, totalling £240, on the basis it would be repaid, but after all his efforts to have the money returned proved fruitless, he contacted the police.

Dr Wood said Carr also went to another woman’s home in the city seeking £30.

The woman felt uncomfortable at his presence at her home but refused to hand over any money.

Carr, who turned 20 last week, of Hilda Close, Sherburn Road Estate, Durham, admitted two counts counts of burglary and the latest two breaches of the CBO, but he previously admitted several similar further breaches.

The court heard the break-ins in July this year made him a third-strike burglar and, therefore, subject to the mandatory minimum sentence of three years, less about seven months to reflect his guilty pleas.

But they also put him in breach of a suspended 12-week prison sentence from August last year.

Tony Davis, mitigating, said the defendant led a “chaotic lifestyle” with his drug misuse behind much of his offending.

Even a court drug rehabilitation requirement was said to have failed to prevent him offending.

The defendant made a plea to Judge Jo Kidd in a letter read from custody in Durham Prison over the video link to court, pledging to remain drug free.

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But Judge Kidd said he had caused, “upset, harm and anxiety” to his victims, in breach of the various court orders.

“You considered them easy, vulnerable targets and you preyed on them.”

Imposing a total three-year young offenders’ institution sentence, Judge Kidd also extended Carr’s CBO by a further three years, to the end of 2025, and put in place restraining orders prohibiting him from approaching or contacting his two female victims in Bevan Grove, Gilesgate Moor, for five years.

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