A WOMAN caught raiding a family home in the early hours broke down in front of her victims, a court heard.

Drug addict Sally Balderstone, 32, of Whalley Street, Burnley, was jailed for 24 months nine from a previous term which had been suspended for a year after admitting attempted burglary and burglary with intent.

Sentencing, Judge Phillip Sycamore told the defendant the memories of a burglary, particularly when there was a confrontation, lasted a long time with victims and left a lasting sense of insecurity.

Philip Potter, prosecuting, said the retired householder heard noises at 3.15am, found a bedroom ransacked and saw someone run into the bathroom of his Burnley home.

He shouted to his family, went into the bathroom and saw the defendant on the window ledge, trying to climb out. He grabbed her but the defendant said she wanted to go to sleep.

Balderstone then put a shoelace around her neck and when asked what she was doing in the house started to cry. When police arrived, Balderstone was trying to pull the shoelace tight and an officer tried to remove it.

Mr Potter said when questioned, the defendant claimed she thought the house was empty and she had been looking for somewhere to sleep. She told police she had taken heroin.

Richard Bennett, defending, said Balderstone had a dreadful family history. Her life had been blighted by violence.

She had resorted to prostitution to pay for drugs and had been to jail because of her addiction.