A THREE-STRIKES burglar was arrested after one of his victims searched the internet and recognised him on his Facebook site, a court was told.

Stephen Kevin McGill is now beginning a four-year jail sentence after pleading guilty at Durham Crown Court to burglaries relating to two premises in Annfield Plain.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said first victim had returned to his home after shopping with his family to discover they had been burgled, on December 14.

The rear patio door had been smashed with barbecue.

The man looked over his back fence to see McGill trying to get away with a 50in TV balanced on a wheelie bin.

The victim was unable to get over the fence, so got into his car and drove to the alleyway, but McGill had fled, leaving the stolen TV smashed on the ground. He got away with cash and jewellery.

Mr Dodds said: “The victim did not know the defendant but mentioned the break-in to various people and a name was mentioned to him .

“He searched the web and found the defendant’s Facebook page, where he identified him and contacted the police.”

Meanwhile, at 6.30pm on December 15, a family at home heard someone at the door.

The wife went to check but no-one was there. Five minutes later, hearing a noise and thinking the front door was left open, she went to close it only to be confronted by McGill carrying a TV downstairs.

She managed to grab the TV from him and he fled, joining two other people end of street.

McGill was arrested for first burglary 40 minutes later and subsequently linked to the second.

Donald McFaul, mitigating, said the McGill had no recollection of what he was doing as he was “off his head on valium and alcohol at the time”

Mr McFaul added: “He has come off valium while in custody and is devastated by what he has done.”

The court was told McGill, of Catherine Terrace in Annfield Plain, had 37 previous convictions for 81 offences, including theft, handling stolen goods, burglary and assault.

Passing sentence Judge Christopher Prince said: “Notwithstanding all the opportunities you have had in the past, you continue to re-offend and according to comments in pre-sentence report you do pose a risk in the future.”

The judge added the victim of first burglary had shown “real fortitude” in pursuing McGill from the premises.