A MAN responsible for a spate of house breaking in one area of Burnley last summer has been jailed for five years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how drug addict Martin Nicholson, 32, struck at nine homes in Ightenhill as many of his victims slept in their beds between last June and August.

Troy Duxbury, 31, in whose back bedroom Nicholson was staying, escaped jail and sobbed as a judge told him he could spare him prison as he was now trying hard to keep on the straight and narrow.

The court was told how burglaries in Ightenhill stopped after Nicholson was arrested. Recorder Maurice Greene told him some of his victims were vulnerable and he almost came face to face with them. One woman crept half way downstairs after hearing noises in the night but went back to bed thinking it was her children.

The judge told the defendant: "You were under the influence of drugs. Who knows what might have happened had there been confrontations."

Recorder Greene said Nicholson had not only violated the homes of those he targeted but had made them feel insecure.

Nicholson, of no fixed address, admitted nine counts of burglary. Duxbury, of Hudson Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to three charges of handling stolen goods and was given a two-year community rehabilitation order, to include the Addressing Substance Related Offending Programme.

William Staunton, prosecuting, said all but one of the offences took place in Igthenhill after the defendant went on an offending spree.

Nicholson stole handbags and cash and took irreplacable and sentimental Royal Doulton figurines worth more than £1,000 from one house.

The defendants were seen together acting suspiciously by police officers at 4am in September. When he was arrested, Nicholson admitted being involved in transactions at Cash Generators pawn shop and held his hand up to burgling.

Mr Staunton said before Nicholson was brought to book there were a lot of burglaries in Ightenhill but they stopped. The prosecutor added: "A mini crime wave came to an end."

Richard Taylor, for both defendants, said Nicholson had never served a long sentence before. He helped the police, taking them to show them where he had committed offences. The only forensic evidence against him had been one footprint.

Nicholson started taking drugs heavily when he was 15 and had no family, relationship, or job. The solicitor went on: "Drugs have completely ruined his life. He has been on them for 17 years now but you don't see any old drug addicts. They die. They kill themselves or they are cured."

Mr Taylor added at the time of the offences Nicholson had been staying in Duxbury's back bedroom and he closed his mind when stolen goods were brought to his house. He knew they were not legal.

Mr Taylor said Duxbury, who handled a sim card and umbrella, was now back in contact with his family and wanted to see his child again.