KEEPING receipts for stolen property led to a burglar's downfall, a court heard.

Richard Glenn Carr (19), admitted possession of a screwdriver and torch with intent to steal and entering a farm outbuilding at Ainsworth and stealing a petrol strimmer, a chainsaw, an electric drill and Stihl saw worth £730.

Mr Tom Gilbart, prosecuting, said Carr was arrested eight days after property was found missing from a farm in Bury Old Road, Ainsworth. He was found in possession of a screwdriver and torch after midnight, and police officers suspected he was out to burgle other property.

When they searched his home, they recovered receipts indicating Carr had sold gardening tools on three separate occasions. Carr admitted these were items he had stolen from sheds in Bury and Bolton.

He was taken up to the farm outhouse at Ainsworth and admitted that was a building he had burgled and had taken some of the tools.

The court was told Carr had three previous convictions and was currently subject to a community order for burglary from November last year.

The hearing was also told Carr had been the victim of a serious assault for which another individual was appearing at the crown court and that Carr had received various threats to his life. This had caused Carr problems in attending probation service meetings.

The bench agreed the probation service should compile new reports to be used as the basis for sentencing on November 9.

Carr, of Newby Road, Bolton, asked for one further burglary to be taken into consideration. He was granted bail subject to a curfew and staying out of the district of Bury except to see his solicitor or to attend court.