A TEENAGER from Sturminster Marshall has been sent to prison for 12 months after stealing from three homes in North Dorset.

Dale Miles, 18, of Gillingham,  was given the sentence after pleading guilty to three charges of burglary from residential dwellings plus a theft from a house at Dorchester Crown Court on Friday, September 12.

Prosecuting, Miss Sadie Rizzo told the court between April 3 and 5, 2014, and May 4 and 6, Miles burgled a cottage owned by Victoria Townsend.

Miss Rizzo told the court that Miles was friends with Mrs Townsend and her son and he burgled their house in Marnhull because he knew the family were away on holiday during those times.

She told the court Miles’ awareness that the family were away was established after he text a friend asking if he wanted to “make some money” and burgle the house, because the family “won’t be back for a week”.

A television, a computer, a safe, a mobile phone, cufflinks, rings, a bag and a Harry Potter audio book were all taken in the two raids, Miss Rizzo said.

The court then heard when Miles was living with Miss Kerry Mead, he stole gardening tools including a sander and a jigsaw, and a sat-nav from her home approximately a month after the first theft.

The third burglary was when he burgled his father’s home on June 12, and stole a credit card, a black watch, a mobile phone, two rings and some of his father’s post, Miss Rizzo said.

In sentencing, Judge Field said the sentence was 18 months for each offence, but because Miles had pleaded guilty, he would reduce it to 12 months for each offence and three months for theft, to run concurrently with each other.

Judge Field said: “You knew the people there.

“You certainly knew that they would be on holiday and you were encouraging others to join in, you burgled your father’s house and you were living with Kerry Mead and took the opportunity to steal things like tools from her shed.

“These are very serious matters and the public requires to be protected from people like you.”

In mitigation for Miles, Timothy Shorter said: “He does appear to have shown genuine remorse. Miss Townsend even said in a letter to police that she hopes he has learnt from these actions.

“Since June 12, this young man has taken steps himself to resolve the difficulties that lead him to commit these offences, such as drug taking.

“He is trying in his own way to do the right thing, albeit a couple of years later than what it should have been. He has made efforts to right his relationship with his father and he has.”