A BURGLAR was confronted by a householder as he attempted to drive away in the man's car.

Thomas Adey was reversing the vehicle from outside the home in Low Pittington, near Durham, early on August 18 last year.

Durham Crown Court was told the householder woke at 3.30am. He went downstairs and noticed the back door was open and the car keys missing.

Andrew Holmes, prosecuting, said the man ran out to see Adey starting the engine and trying to drive away.

He dashed towards the car and opened the driver's door, while the vehicle was moving, shouting: "Get out".

Adey jumped out, with the car still rolling backwards down the street, and ran off shouting: "Interfering b*****d" to the owner, who managed to control the vehicle.

He discovered that a purse containing £125 was taken from the kitchen.

The court heard that Adey's fingerprints were found in the car, leading to his arrest 18 days later.

While on bail, he burgled a house in Brancepeth Avenue, Fencehouses, near Houghton-le-Spring, early on October 9.

Adey, 25, of Ewehill Terrace, Fencehouses, admitted two burglary charges and attempting to take a vehicle without the owner's consent. He asked for further offences of burglary, attempted burglary and theft to be considered.

The court heard Adey's "bursts of offending" helped to fund his heroin addiction.

Jailing him for two years, Recorder Jeremy Baker said there was a clear link between his drug abuse and his offending.