A burglar who raided homes in York and across North and East Yorkshire was today serving a five-and-a-half year jail sentence.

Paul Andrew Templeton, 22, stole a Nissan car and other property together worth £6,500 from a home in Trinity Court, York, in March, a crown court heard.

He later told police he had raided seven other homes in the Malton, Pickering and Pocklington areas and attempted to raid an eighth, said Dan Edwards, prosecuting.

Templeton, of Ashtree Walk, Swarcliffe, Leeds, pleaded guilty to the York burglary and asked for seven more burglaries and an attempted burglary to be taken into consideration.

Mr Edwards told York Crown Court the Nissan car was found damaged in Seacroft, Leeds, a fortnight after the York burglary and had to be written off. Forensic evidence linked Templeton with the crime.

When detectives confronted him in jail with their evidence, he confessed to nine house raids.

For Templeton, Andrew Wilson said he started taking drugs at 15 and then began committing crime to fund his habit.

But since he was jailed he had had help towards kicking his habit and was hoping to move to Lindholme Prison, near Doncaster, for a drug rehabilitation course.

After his release he planned to leave Leeds to break with his criminal and drug-addicted acquaintances in a bid to stay drug-free.