A FEMALE burglar was yesterday jailed for five years after a court heard how she confronted a frail householder in an early hours break-in.

Sharron Elizabeth Nuttall, who was hooded and wearing dark clothing, startled the 92-year-old victim as he watched television in the lounge of his old person's bungalow, in Thornley, east Durham, in March.

She said she had come for money and when he refused to hand any over she moved his walking frame, rendering him helpless, Durham Crown Court was told.

Despite his fear, he tried to make a grab for her and shouted out to alert neighbours.

Nuttall left the way she had entered, via a forced bathroom window, taking only a packet of cigarettes.

David Wilkinson, prosecuting, said the victim managed to steady himself, going from one piece of furniture to another, to eventually reach his emergency cord.

It alerted a warden who arrived with his daughter to find the 92-year-old still shaken by the ordeal.

Mr Wilkinson said the man was now much more nervous and had had the bathroom window barricaded with bars to offer him some peace of mind.

Nuttall, 24, of nearby Dunelm Road, was arrested later that day and the packet of cigarettes was recovered by police.

She made no reply to questions and was granted bail while police awaited the outcome of forensic tests done at the bungalow.

During the bail period she was arrested while running from Dunelm Surgery, in Thornley, after an attempted early morning break-in.

She told police she planned to steal computers. She knew the lay-out because it was her own doctor's premises.

The court was told Nuttall's previous record included an arson attack, for which she served a four-year sentence, and another attempted break-in at the doctor's surgery.

Peter Fleming, mitigating, said she was as frightened as the victim, who she had not expected to encounter during the break-in.

Mr Fleming said Nuttall had earned "a certain notoriety" in her community after the arson attack and planned to move away following her release from prison.

Nuttall admitted burglary and attempted burglary, and asked for five garden shed break-ins to be considered.

Jailing her, Judge Richard Lowden said: "It's outrageous this helpless old man should have to live the rest of his life behind bars because of what you did."