A MAN broke into the home of an elderly neighbour while she was in hospital undergoing treatment for cancer, a court heard.

Richard Thomas William Lawson used a key entrusted to his grandmother, whose home he was staying in at the time, to gain access to the nearby house, in Framwellgate Moor, Durham.

He took a bank card and acquired its PiN number, which he used at several cash machines over the next few days to withdraw £1,640 from the 80-year-old victim's account.

Durham Crown Court heard he also went on a spending spree, buying general goods, clothing, sportswear and groceries to a value of almost £750 using the stolen credit card.

But, not content with his gains, Lawson also went back and burgled the victim's home a second time, after she was re-admitted to hospital for further treatment several days later.

Euan Duff, prosecuting, said Lawson took a benefit book and £75 in cash during the second break-in.

Lawson appeared in court yesterday, on his 23rd birthday, for a scheduled trial after previously denying offences.

But, following a request by his barrister, Colin Harvey, the charges were put again to Lawson.

This time, he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, at the victim's home, between November 19 and 23, and from November 30 to December 5, both in 2003.

He also admitted theft of the £1,640, plus eight counts of obtaining by deception, relating to the purchases made using the credit card. These ranged from £8 at a newsagent's shop, to £169 from a sportswear chain, £267 from the Durham branch of Argos and £126 from the women's clothes store Dorothy Perkins.

Mr Harvey asked for a report to be drawn up on Lawson by the probation service, before he is sentenced.

Recorder John Muir agreed to the request and adjourned sentence for three weeks to allow the report to be prepared.

He bailed Lawson to an address in Ashleigh Avenue, Framwellgate Moor, to return for sentence on Monday, March 21.

Recorder Muir said the fact he was allowing bail in the intervening period may have no bearing on the eventual outcome in the case.