Middlesbrough burglar torched his victim’s Audi A4

Adrian Chamberlain broke into the house before stealing the car’s keys and driving it away while the owner’s mother was asleep upstairs in their home.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 39-year-old was arrested shortly after the burglary on August 10, 2023, in Billingham.

Nicci Horton, prosecuting, said: “The victim was woken by the dog whining, went downstairs and noticed the door was ajar and the keys for the Audi and another vehicle were missing as well as a purse and bank cards.

“When she went outside, she noticed the Audi had gone.

“The police located the vehicle on August 16 in Thornaby, and it had been burned out.”

The court heard how police arrested the defendant for an unrelated incident the following day and recovered a mobile phone containing videos and photographs showing him trying to sell it.

Chamberlain, of Woodcock Close in Middlesbrough, initially denied the charges of burglary and theft of a vehicle but eventually pleaded guilty ahead of a trial.

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Chris Morrison, mitigating, urged the judge to pass a suspended sentence as his client was working on turning his life around and is now in a stable relationship.

He added: “I would submit that is a powerful influence away from the malign lifestyle and influences that were a feature of his life when these offences occurred.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll passed a 94-week sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

He said: “You made attempts to sell the car for profit, that failed so you just burned the car out causing a significant financial loss the victims.”