A HOMELESS man took his dog with him as he burgled a garage, a court heard yesterday.

John Raper, 32, of no fixed address, appeared at Teesside Crown Court and admitted a charge of burglary.

Raper was sleeping rough in parks in Darlington, when he broke into the domestic garage in the town's Grange Road on October 7 last year, the court heard.

Christopher Baker, prosecuting, said owner Simon Todd was at home at 8.55pm that night when his neighbour saw the garage door was open and there was a man running away carrying a set of golf clubs he had grabbed. The dog was with him.

He said the neighbour recognised the man, Raper, as someone he had seen sleeping rough in a local park.

Mr Todd, his son and the neighbour all gave chase into the park, said Mr Baker, and although they found the golf clubs in the bushes, there was no sign of Raper.

Raper was arrested later that month and was picked out in an identification parade. He at first denied being involved.

Rod Hunt, for Raper, said his client had been in custody since October and it had made him learn a lesson.

He said Raper's mother was willing to have him back at home and his client was now motivated to stay out of trouble.

Judge Peter Fox placed Raper on a three-year community rehabilitation order and ordered him to complete 100 hours of community punishment unpaid work