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A burglar who broke into an 89-year-old woman’s home days after 10 members of his family were killed in a fire is behind bars today.

Michael Thomas Connors, 30, reacted to the traumatic news of a family tragedy in Ireland by drinking too much and burgling the elderly woman’s home while she slept.

The 89-year-old woman, who awoke to find the debris from the crime, later said: “I’m devastated and now I feel vulnerable in my home of over. 50 years.

“I’ve worked hard all my life to get a house and the items inside of it.”

Connors smashed two windows with stones, broke into the home in Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough and stole the sleeping woman’s £600 television between midnight and 1am on October 14.

He caused about £500 damage to the windows and blinds, Teesside Crown Court heard from prosecutor Jenny Haigh today.

He was caught and arrested carrying the stolen TV through a park.

The victim said she was physically unable to take the broken glass off the floors and “I don’t like to put on my family and neighbours”.

She said in a statement she tried to stay active and help people where she could, and wanted the burglar to know how hard she had worked for her belongings.

Connors, of Homerton Road, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough , admitted the burglary. He was previously jailed for 14 months for attempted house burglaries in 2011.

John Nixon, defending, said: “He expressed remorse. He described the offence he committed as being absolutely vile.

“He would like to apologise to the lady concerned. He is devastated for her.”

He said Connors’ family moved to Teesside in the 1990s and had a history of alcohol dependency “which dogged him to this day”, and he conquered his drink problem with the help of his partner.

But he relapsed after the couple suffered a stillbirth and a miscarriage, then he struggled to cope with fatherhood when a child was born and was unwell.

Then, four days before the burglary, he was “devastated” as 10 members of his extended family died in a fire at a traveller site in Carrickmines near Dublin.

Mr Nixon said: “I think that would have an effect on anybody.

“He drank and became completely out of control. His partner had kicked him out, he had nowhere else to go. He’d gone in search of an empty house.”

Now Connors was tackling his issues, working with agencies and would “relish” the chance to make good in a suspended sentence.

Judge Stephen Ashurst said the victim was a houseproud woman who was devastated by the burglary.

He said he was sorry to hear of distressing events in Connors’ life, and gave him credit for saying how bad he felt about his crime, but it was too serious to suspend the sentence.

“I think you understand that as well and have come prepared today,” he added.

“You of course didn’t know the age of the occupant of this property, but that I’m afraid is an occupational hazard to people who commit dwelling house burglaries.”

He jailed Connors for 20 months.