A man in the grip of mental illness burgled his parents’ home and tried to sell their possessions, a court was told.

York Crown Court heard that Thomas James Shepherdson conducted a £30,000 raid on the family home in the Bishopthorpe area of York.

He stole ten watches, three cameras, electronic items, four wallets, currency, mobile phones and other items and drove off in a Mercedes parked nearby.

Stephanie Hancock, prosecuting, told the court that initially, Shepherdson tried to sell the items he had stolen in the York area. He then went to stay for a week with a friend in Newcastle, where he also tried to sell the stolen goods.

Shepherdson pleaded guilty to the burglary on September 17, taking the Mercedes vehicle without consent, three offences of fraud by passing himself off as the legitimate owner of different stolen items between September 17 and October 6, and driving while disqualified and without insurance. Miss Hancock told the court Shepherdson’s parents had suffered turmoil “in loving their son and wanting to provide the best for him and having the upset of being the victim of these offences”.

Defence barrister Mark Partridge revealed they had visited their son in the prison, where he had been on remand for his crimes since his arrest on October 6.

Mr Partridge said Shepherdson needed to accept treatment. He was using what mental health services were available to him in prison and wanted to do so outside prison. He needed help finding accommodation because he was now homeless.

Judge Jim Spencer QC jailed Shepherdson, 21, of no fixed address, for 12 months after reading a psychiatric report and a pre-sentence report.

“You have shown no restraint whatever,” he told Shepherdson. “You have taken property very valuable to (Shepherdson’s parents). “You must have been a tremendous disappointment to them. “I hope you get to understand that in time.”