Hartlepool burglar ransacked student's Middlesbrough flat stealing Sony PlayStation and Apple iPads worth over £2,000

Bryan McDermott (inset) burgled a student flat in Wilson Street, Middlesbrough. Photos: Google/Cleveland Police.

A burglar who ransacked a student’s flat on New Year’s Eve and made off with more than £2,000 of property has been jailed.

Bryan McDermott, 40, from Hartlepool, broke into the woman’s flat through a window while she was out on December 31.

She arrived home in the early hours to discover the flat had been “turned upside down”.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court: “Her flat was described as a mess with all of her belongings from boxes and drawers strewn around all over the floor.”

A Sony PlayStation valued at £550, an Apple iPad valued at £500 and an iPad Pro worth £1,000 were taken.

House damaged in 'deliberate' fire in Hartlepool street

McDermott was identified as the culprit from traces of his blood discovered on the windowsill.

On January 7, he made off from Next on Hartlepool’s Anchor Retail Park with three coats worth £270.

And on November 4 last year McDermott was caught on CCTV stealing clothing from the town’s TJ Hughes branch.

McDermott, whose 62 convictions include burglary, theft and robbery, was arrested by police.

He admitted the student accommodation burglary, which happened in Middlesbrough, and two counts of theft.

John Nixon, mitigating, said: “He offers his apologies to the victim in this case. It’s regrettable.”

Mr Nixon said McDermott, of Sheriff Street, Hartlepool, had fallen into a cycle of drug use last November after two years being clean.

Sentencing McDermott to 29 months in prison, Judge Howard Crowson said: “A good deal of expensive property was taken, some of which was used by that student in her study.”

Judge Crowson also ordered that a £228 victim surcharge be paid to the victim as compensation.