Wayne Rooney testimonial break-in attempt: Man admits offence Published duration 27 October 2016

image copyright PA image caption The game at Old Trafford, between Rooney's only two professional clubs, marked his 12 years of service at Manchester United

A man has admitted attempting to break in to Wayne Rooney's home while he was playing in his testimonial match at Old Trafford.

Ex-serviceman, Robert McNamara, 24, of Scarborough, pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court to attempting to enter as a trespasser with intent to steal.

The alarm at the footballer's £6m property in Prestbury, Cheshire was reportedly triggered on 3 August.

McNamara will be sentenced on 21 December.

'Worrying features'

Judge Nicholas Woodward said there were "very worrying features" in the case and ordered a pre-sentence report to be carried out by the probation service.

Rooney, his wife Coleen, and their three sons, Kai, Klay and Kit, were attending the charity tribute game against his first club, Everton, when the break-in bid took place.

McNamara of Newby Farm Crescent, Scalby, was arrested six days later.

The prosecution case was not outlined during the brief hearing but the court heard that McNamara had recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and that his family had sought help from Combat Stress, a veterans' mental health charity, earlier this year.

image caption Wayne and Coleen Rooney's home featured in a BBC documentary last year

image copyright AP image caption Wayne Rooney was shown in his trophy room for BBC documentary The Man Behind The Goals