A MAN raided his friend's home hours after borrowing money from him and seeing where he kept his savings, a court heard.

Neil Brown waited until his neighbour left the house before clumsily smashing his way in through a rear patio door.

Witnesses saw Brown going to the house in Norton, near Stockton, with a spade - and then heard a burglar alarm going off.

When police turned up at the scene, the 35-year-old raider was still nearby and had a box of cuff links taken from inside.

He also had a butter knife and a bottle of beer from the house, and a screwdriver, Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday.

As he was being checked in at a police station, £240 was found in his wallet - money taken from a tin hidden in a drawer.

Earlier that morning, Brown had visited his friend to borrow £20 - as he had in the past - and saw where he his his money.

His own lawyer, Andrew White, described the August 24 crime as "mean" and told the court: "He's embarrassed and ashamed."

Brown, of Junction Road, Norton, admitted burglary and was yesterday jailed for 12 months by Judge George Moorhouse.

The judge told him: "The sad thing is, it was your friend's house. You knew he had money. Your record is appalling."

The court heard that Brown has 89 crimes on his charge sheet going back more than 20 years - starting with a burglary in 1991.

Mr White said he moved to Teesside to get away from drugs in Hull, but had been taking pills to get over a love split.

"He is motivated to address his difficulties," said Mr White. "He wants to lead a better life in the future and needs help.

"A sentence in the community is far more likely to reduce the risk of future offending on his part than immediate custody."

In an impact statement, the victim said: "I am shocked. He is a friend, and i can't believe he has done this to me."