A TEENAGER who stole from his relatives has paid for his crimes in court.

Newton Aycliffe Youth Court heard that the 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, climbed up some scaffolding to get into his mother’s Darlington home on May 7.

Prosecutor Rachael Dodsworth said he then stole £20 from a glass bottle in a kitchen cupboard.

Five-weeks later, on June 14, the teenager targeted his aunt’s home in Newton Aycliffe.

He rolled a wheelie bin underneath an open lounge window and used it to climb through.

He found his aunt’s handbag and stole £40 from it.

The youth, who now lives in Newton Aycliffe, admitted two charges of burglary, although he claimed he only stole £30 from his aunt.

Mitigating, Ben Pegman said the teen was “effectively finding his own way in life” and was living on just £50 per week in hardship money.

He said he was remorseful about the burglaries and had already repaid £5 to his mother.

Magistrates imposed a 9pm to 7am curfew along with a 12-month youth rehabilitation order with activities to run as long as the youth offending service saw fit.

He was also ordered to pay £40 compensation to his aunt after his mother waived what he owed her.