A "DESPICABLE" burglar befriended an 85-year-old man then tampered with a window so he could repeatedly raid his home.

But Philip Worthington, 41, of Hollin Bridge Street, Mill Hill, was jailed for three years after being caught out by a police security camera.

The first day the camera was installed Worthington was filmed carrying out a burglary.

That night, the pensioner, Jacob (whose surname is being withheld) woke up to find Worthington in his bedroom.

After the case Jacob said that he tried to chase the "nasty piece of work".

He said: "I was blazing. I was so angry, so I jumped out of bed and tried to chase him.

"I'm not as quick as I used to be but if I had caught him I would have given him a good clip round the head."

Preston Crown Court was told that Worthington repeatedly sneaked into the Ewood home of the frail pensioner, a retired lorry driver, stealing more than £3,500 over the course of several months.

Worthington had befriended the elderly widower in a bid to steal money that he knew he kept in his terraced house.

He offered to do odd jobs around his home and asked Jacob for lifts to the local Salvation Army.

During this time Worthington was able to tamper with his kitchen window to enable him to break in easily at night.

Jacob said that he had no idea where his savings were going and had even started to doubt his own memory, thinking he was going "bonkers".

The court heard that Jacob had become concerned that "something queer" was going on because he had lost three wallets in a short period of time, all containing large amounts of cash.

His daughter contacted police and the camera was installed.

The court was told that Worthington was a serial burglar with a Valium addiction and mental health problems.

Prosecuting, David Macro, said he had committed 14 previous offences and was out on licence from prison when he committed the latest offence The court also heard how Worthington had tried to commit suicide and was ashamed of his behaviour.

Sentencing Worthington, Recorder Jeremy Rowkins said a fine or community punishment would not be justified in a case so serious.

The judge said it must have been an "extraordinarily traumatic experience" for the victim when he woke to discover the defendant at the foot of his bed in the early hours.

Police have now helped Jacob improve security at his home and he said that he does not keep cash in the house anymore.

Recorder Rowkins accepted the defendant now empathised with the victim and gave him credit for pleading guilty at the earlest opportunity. He said had he not done that the sentence would have been much longer, in excess of four years.

After the hearing, Sergeant Steve Dowson, who investigated the case, said: "This was a despicable crime against an elderly man.

"In this case a vulnerable man was targeted and thanks to the actions of his family and friends together with the police, we were able to identify and bring to justice a dangerous offender."