The 78-year-old woman confronted David Bray, who pulled up his trousers and left.

Durham Crown Court heard Bray, 61, then banged on the front door of the house and demanded to be let back in to collect a bag.

"Police were quickly on the scene and he was arrested," said Paul Hunter, prosecuting. "He claimed he had asked a passer-by the location of the nearest toilet and this person had showed him into the house.

"Another explanation he gave was the householder had given him permission to use her toilet, which is also not the case.

"It later became apparent he had searched the victim's bedroom, because she found an ornament had been broken and her alarm clock had been taken.

"He also took a bottle of talcum powder, valued at £1, from the bathroom.

"The victim, while describing Bray as very drunk, said she found the whole experience both frightening and distressing." Bray, of Hudson Road, Hendon, Sunderland, admitted burglary at Glebe Drive, Seaham, on March 29, this year.

He has 39 previous convictions, including recent offences of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour and theft from a shop.

Jane Waugh, defending, said: "This burglary is a bizarre offence and while it must have been distressing for the householder, he offered her no real threat. While technically this is a burglary, he escaped with a £1 bottle of Asda talcum powder, which was taken more out of habit than anything else.

"Drink is Mr Bray's big problem and he knows that. Locking him up today is not going to challenge or change his behaviour and beliefs, but more supervision might do so."

Judge Michael Cartlidge jailed Bray for nine months and told him: "However you describe this offence, it caused a great deal of distress to the victim.

"To make matters worse, you have since offended twice more, a racially-aggravated incident at a takeaway and a theft from a shop."

The judge ordered the nine-month sentence to begin at the end of a three-month sentence Bray is serving for the other offences.