How Sunderland mum used Facebook to identify and confront would-be house raider

The victim, who lives with her young daughter in Sunderland, had been disturbed in the early hours of February 23 last year and heard someone trying her front door handle.

Newcastle Crown Court heard she looked out of her window and believed she saw Michael Tipling, who she knew from around the neighbourhood but believed to be in prison, walking away.

Prosecutor Omar Ahmad said the mum put footage from her CCTV system on Facebook and found out her suspicion about Tipling, who had been released from jail five days earlier, was correct.

The court heard Tipling, 32, was "sheepish" when the victim confronted him the next day but denied he was responsible for targeting her home.

Mr Ahmad told the court: "Her CCTV shows the defendant leave the front garden and she assumes he must have entered from the rear and walked around.

"She uploaded the footage to Facebook and received multiple messages identifying the male as the defendant."

The court heard the following day the mum sought out and confronted Tipling in the street before he was arrested by the police.

Mr Ahmad said: "She said the defendant was sheepish and denied he was responsible, saying he did walk in the area but 'I didn't try any handles'."

Tipling, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and three charges of vehicle interference in relation to car door handles he tried on the same night.

He also pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage after a confrontation at his parents' home where he became "irate" and tried to attack his dad after he woke him up from a sleep on the sofa.

The court heard Tipling had to be held back by his mum and another woman as he attempted to get to his dad.

He kicked a wall and fence and caused damage during the incident, which happened in December, while he was on bail.

The court heard Tipling has previous convictions.

Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Tipling has had problems with his mental health, has sought help and is capable of staying out of trouble.

Mr Recorder Christopher Williams sentenced Tipling to ten months behind bars.

The judge said Tipling should "reflect" on the affect his behaviour has had on others and added: "You should reflect now to make a change, it has to come from you ultimately."