A BURGLAR broke into a priest's home and drank his bottles of spirits, a court heard yesterday.

Dean Chapman, 20, of Springfield Terrace, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, admitted three charges of burglary when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

Deborah Sherwin, prosecut-ing, said the first offence was committed on April 20 at a house on The Avenue, in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, the home of Father O'Neill, a Catholic priest.

The priest, she said, had been away in Ireland and discovered the break-in when he returned. A pair of trainers had been stolen and his spirits consumed, with the bottles left lying on the floor.

On April 29, Chapman broke into Acklam Car Sales and stripped cars of £7,000 of electrical equipment.

And on July 16, said Miss Sherwin, he broke into buildings at Stainsby Grange Farm and stole £10,000 of equipment.

When arrested, Chapman admitted the offences and volunteered information on 12 other similar crimes which he asked to be taken into consideration at sentence.

Chapman was already serving a two-year sentence for similar offences and his solicitor Jamie Hill offered no mitigation.

Judge Michael Taylor impose a 27-month sentence, meaning Chapman will serve an additional six months for the offences he admitted yesterday.