A MAN who shinned up a drainpipe and entered a teenager's bedroom in a hostel in the early hours was today starting a 12-month jail term.

Burnley Crown Court heard that Graham Furlong, 23, threatened to kill the 17-year-old and grabbed him by the throat as he lay in bed.

The youth fled from his room naked to summon help and later found his trainers had been stolen.

The court heard the defendant claimed he had climbed in through the victim's window so he could open the door and let a friend in to visit another resident.

Judge Raymond Bennett said it was difficult to imagine anything more fearsome than seeing somebody on your window sill at 2am.

Judge Bennett, who had read references on Furlong's behalf, said he could not believe the defendant was the same man.

Furlong, of Yew Tree Grove, Rawtenstall, admitted burglary, last August.

David Bentley, prosecuting, said the complainant was asleep at the hostel in Rawtenstall, when he was woken by noises and shouting.

The defendant climbed into the room, took hold of the youth by the neck, shook him, both wrestled and the teenager managed to run from the room.

Furlong threatened to kill the victim and beat him from pillar to post and the youth stayed downstairs for about 15 minutes. He then discovered his £50 Nike trainers had been taken.

Furlong was arrested after a CCTV recording of the house was viewed and his fingerprints were found on the drainpipe.

Alexandra Simmons, defending, said Furlong accepted he was in the wrong to go into the bedroom, but did not remember a struggle. He was going to let in his friend at the front door so they could visit another resident. The defendant had been drinking. He did not specifically choose the victim's window. It was just a means of getting into the building. Furlong did not steal the trainers.

He was hard-working young man, in a stable relationship, had good employment prospects and had been in a relationship for five years. Miss Simmons said the offence was a drunken mistake and out of character.

Furlong, who was hoping to become a fork lift truck driver, felt particularly upset because he had let his girlfriend down.