A DRUG addict who stole cash after exploiting the kindness of an 85-year-old woman has been jailed.

Yvonne Greenwood, 28, formerly of Lowther Street, York, appeared at York Crown Court charged with two counts of burglary.

The court was told that at 1.30pm on 16 December, Greenwood - a long-term heroin addict - walked into the home of pensioner Ruth Oakhill, in Owston Avenue, York, waking her from a nap.

Despite having never met Mrs Oakhill previously, Greenwood, who was out on licence from prison at the time, asked to use the toilet and was shown upstairs. Mrs Oakhill found her coming out of a bedroom, but was persuaded to make her a cup of tea. Greenwood then left and her victim discovered that cheques and around £30 in cash had been stolen from her purse.

Six days later Greenwood committed a similar theft at the home of Susan Betts in Duke Avenue, York.

At 5.45pm she knocked on the door and claimed to have fallen from her bike and needed to use the telephone.

Feeling sorry for her, Mrs Betts also made her a cup of tea which Greenwood claimed was too hot. As her victim, who is in her early 50s, went to the kitchen to add cold water Greenwood stole her purse containing an unspecified amount of money.

Mitigating, Mark McKone said Greenwood had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and when arrested for the first burglary had told the police she was also responsible for the second.

While conceding the seriousness of the offences, Mr McKone said Greenwood was a long-term heroin addict who had a troubled home life having suffered two miscarriages in the space of two months. He said she had kicked the drug, but after losing her unborn babies she again turned to heroin.

He added her main goal now was to have children with her partner of 14 years.

But Recorder Nicholas Campbell QC described Greenwood's crimes as "mean" and said she had taken advantage of a vulnerable 85-year-old woman.

He said: "The amount stolen may have been small, but the invasion of her home and life was serious indeed."

He also noted that Greenwood had a long list of previous convictions for similar distraction burglaries, but gave her credit for her early guilty pleas.

Greenwood was jailed for three years for each offence to run concurrently with the remaining 300 days from a previous sentence. She was told she would have to serve 18 months in prison before being eligible for early release on licence.