A TEENAGE burglar told police he knew his victim because he had burgled his house before.

Burnley Crown Court heard how David Francis, 18, whose accomplice was 12 years old, was armed with a hammer when he made his early hours bid to get into the man's Accrington home.

Francis, who has seven previous convictions for burglary, admitted attempted burglary and theft.

Sending him to detention for 15 months, to be served after the unexpired portion of a previous sentence, Judge Raymond Bennett said since December 1, anybody convicted of three burglaries should be sent to prison for three years.

He was sentencing him to less because of his age and his unfinished term of custody.

Jeremy Lasker, prosecuting, said a neighbour saw the defendant and the boy acting suspiciously at the complainant's back gate.

She saw them go in and come out, one carrying a hammer. The defendant then came out with a bike.

Police were alerted and Francis made a bungled attempt to hide the bike and hammer.

When the house was later checked, a window was found smashed. Francis was interviewed, but could not remember very much about what he had done.

Michael Lavery, defending, said Francis would say he had been attacked by the aggrieved in the past. Before the offences, Francis had too much to drink and taken 13 temazepam tablets.

He had been drinking a cocktail of tequila and vodka and could not remember the offences.

Francis, of Persia Street, Accrington, had lived an itinerant lifestyle and stolen to feed himself and not because of an addiction.

His mother was not prepared to have him back. Francis' brother had been convicted of manslaughter and she had had to move out of the area. She thought a move would help the defendant as well.

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