A MAN carried out a burglary spree in a market town before making almost immediate use of a stolen bank card.

Raymond Bragg denied being responsible for breaking into a house and three garden sheds, plus a failed attempt to get into a further shed, all in Barnard Castle, overnight on March 3 to 4 this year.

Tools and fishing equipment were taken from sheds, in The Crescent, while a lap-top computer, iphone and purse were removed from the house, in Cambridge Terrace.

Durham Crown Court heard that Bragg admitted fraudulent use of bank cards taken in the house burglary, to pay for a fast food meal and tobacco at three small stores, in the Darlington area, on the morning of March 4.

Examination of cctv covering the commercial premises led police to visit Bragg’s flat in Harry Street, Darlington, on March 15, when some of the items taken from the sheds was recovered.

He claimed a member of the “criminal fraternity” called at his home and gave him the bank cards plus other stolen goods, in lieu of a debt, early on March 4.

Bragg was, however, found guilty of all four burglary offences, plus attempted burglary of another shed, following a trial at the court earlier this month.

The sentencing hearing was told the 50-year-old grandfather has 18 convictions for 39 offences, including two previous house burglaries, making him now subject to the “three-strike” sentencing provisions.

Amrit Jandoo, mitigating, said Bragg still denies responsibility for the burglaries, maintaining he received the stolen items as, “part and parcel of a bad debt”.

Recorder Ian Atherton said the “prodigious” offender’s burglaries “clearly affected” the victims and jailed him for three years and nine months.

Co-accused Simon Kernan, 39, formerly of Ann’s Terrace, Darlington, now of Brougham Street, Penrith, also admitted fraudulent use of the stolen bank cards but denied the house burglary.

He was also convicted at the recent trial and received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.