A TEENAGER with a long history of crime despite his tender years has been locked up.

Shane Brady, formerly of Burnley, pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, four counts of handling stolen goods, one count of theft, and one count of possessing cannabis, between September and December 2018.

Preston Crown Court heard how on September 22 at a property in Burnley, Brady, 18, had stolen bank cards belonging to a friend, that had a total of £80.30 attached to them.

The court also heard how between November 14 and December 7, Brady had received cash and bank cards that had been stolen during burglaries committed by someone else, which he later used to purchase goods worth more than £80 in shops in Morecambe and Lancaster.

Prosecuting, Paul Cummings, explained that his client, who had been living in a shed due to complications with his family, had admitted to committing 13 other burglary offences while on bail for the previous offences and asked for those to be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Mr Cummings said: "He has eight convictions for 24 offences, many of which were committed while he was a juvenile.

"He has handling offences, and fraud offences for making false representations. Despite there being a deliberate targeting of a number of victims, a relatively low value was taken."

Defending, Anthony Parkinson said his client was still very immature having only turned 18 last summer and had been before the youth court on many occasions.

Mr Parkinson said: "This will be his first custodial sentence. He was living in a stranger's shed at the time of the offences, without their knowledge, and was stealing to survive."

Judge Heather Lloyd said: "You have completely disregarded your bail conditions to the extent you took off your tag to be able to commit them.

"For one so young you are a prolific offender and I fear there is a possibility that you will wear that as a badge of honour.

"You have squandered the opportunities given to you, yet you say you are disgusted in yourself and said you had no choice, but you did.

"All the people whose homes you burgled have a right to feel safe in their homes."

Brady was sentenced to a total of 45 months in a young offenders' institute.