Addict raided Telford house while girl, 10, was home alone
A man committed a day-time burglary while a young schoolgirl was alone at the property, a court heard.
The 10-year-old was heard to scream while she was on the phone to her mother who was at a nearby shop.
Aaron George, 21, stole cash, an iPad and a cycle, worth more than £1,600 in the raid at Lightmoor, Telford, earlier this year to feed his drug addiction.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court, George was given 18 month's detention, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation programme and will be subject to drug testing and must pay £250 court costs.
Unemployed George, of Wildwood, Woodside, admitted offences of burglary, attempted burglary and handling stolen goods.
He denied three other offences of theft and dishonesty, which were ordered to lie on the file.
Miss Michelle Heeley, prosecuting, said that the first offence was in May last year at Dunsheath Road where a brick was used to smash a kitchen window.
George had previously stayed at the premises and knew the owner and broke in while she was away and stole a £150 TV set. The defendant's fingerprints were found on the window.
Miss Heeley said the other offences were committed over a few weeks in March and April this year. George broke into the premises at Lightmoor through the conservatory around 4pm.
"The 10-year-old girl was alone at the house. Her mother had popped to a shop for paracetamol and was called by her daughter.
"She told her mother she could hear something and was heard to scream and clearly knew someone was in the house " she said.
The iPad, cash and bike were stolen and the defendant's DNA was found on a bag recovered from the scene.
Miss Heeley said the family were so distressed they put the property up for sale because they no longer felt safe.
George had also admitted being involved in an attempted break-in at a flat in Woodside where a rock was used to smash a window and police later found the defendant's blood.
During a search of George's home police recovered two bags of footballs and a set of pop-up goal posts worth £600 which had previously been stolen from a shed.
Mr Brendan Reedy, for George, said his client had no previous convictions and had a normal family background until he was 20 and then became involved in drug issues.
He said George, who had been on a monitored curfew while on remand, was now back in contact with his family.
