Burglar let family's pet dogs escape - and stole children's Christmas presents - in raid on Sunderland home

Leon Best broke into the three-bedroom semi in Washington while the owners were away for the night, helped himself to their belongings and let the beloved pets get out.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the owners realised their home had been targeted when they were told the animals had been found in a field, several miles away, by a friend who recognised them.

When the family returned, they found more than £8,400 worth of property, including electrical items, jewellery and Christmas presents the children had received just weeks before, was gone.

A rare Ford Cosworth car and a Harley Davison bike, which were parked outside, had been damaged.The 21-year-old raider, who had been staying with family near the house he burgled on January 31, left blood that linked him to the scene.

Best, formerly of Somerset Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to burglary but denied he was responsible for taking all of the stolen property.

His victims were left in “extreme emotional stress” caused by the crime and said: “While the theft has been of material possessions, they mostly belong to our small children who we have now had to explain to them that their gifts and Christmas presents have been stolen.“Luckily our two much-loved family pets were found a few miles away by someone that knew who they belong to.

“We have to be grateful for their return as it is hard to even contemplate the possibility that they could have been knocked over and killed.

“We work very hard every day to provide for our children and give them the best possible quality of life we can, then only to have it unfairly taken away by someone who clearly thinks they are above the law.“I only pray this never happens to any other family as it has turned out to be the worst experience of our family’s lives.”

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Best "feels terrible" about what he did and said the damage caused to the vehicles was not malicious.

Miss Moscardini added: "He wishes to extend his apologies. He is very, very remorseful for the behaviour."

Miss Moscardini said Best had been "using drugs heavily" at the time but has now completely detoxed.

She added: "When he woke the next morning the gravity hit him of what he had done and he was very ashamed of it.

"He got rid of the things he had. He panicked."Judge Tim Gittins sentenced Best to ten months behind bars.

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