A WOULD-be raider who tried to break into a friend's neighbour's home when not long out of jail, is back behind bars.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Andrew Stead, 26, told police he intended to pinch the cooker and sell it for drugs money, had a needle on him when arrested and admitted being a heroin addict. He had been using drugs since the age of 12 or 13.

Stead, of Royd Street, Accrington, was sent to prison for 12 months, but must first serve 200 days of the unexpired portion of his previous sentence.

Sentencing him, Recorder Harry Narayan said the defendant had tried to get into the house with another person, but left when they were seen. He was later seen by police at the property next door.

Police were called, saw the damage and went to the house next door, where they found the defendant. He co-operated with officers.

When Stead was interviewed, he said he knew the house was empty and intended to take the cooker and sell it for drugs money. He said he had found a piece of metal which had been thrown away after use and he had committed the offence on the spur of the moment. Mr Harrison added the defendant still had 355 days unexpired portion of the last sentence still to serve.

Anthony Cross, defending, said Stead was an isolated young man, entrenched in the cycle of drug-related offending. If he was sent to prison today, he would be in a worse position when he was released. He had used drugs since he was 12 or 13, severed links with his family when he was 16, and went from jail to live in a bed and breakfast establishment.

On the day of the offence, he was homeless and had been for a crisis loan but didn't get it. He went to his friend's house and was told the property next door was empty. He decided to steal the oven.

Mr Cross said for the first time in many a year, the defendant now had a settled address. He was a young man with problems of a deep-seated nature, had limited social skills and was barely able to read and write. He had gone to a special school and was dyslexic.