Family returned home from holiday to find Sunderland burglar asleep on the sofa

A family returned home from a holiday to find a burglar asleep on their sofa.

Christopher West broke into the house while the owners were away, helped himself to food and drink then took a nap.

Newcastle Crown court heard when the man, woman and six-year-old child returned from a few days away, the  stranger was still snoozing inside their home.

The court heard the male householder went in, woke him up and dragged him outside.

Nothing had been stolen but he had eaten food and alcohol belonging to them and had smoked in their house.

The break-in happened last October at Barnes View, Sunderland.

The court heard the family had gone away on October 24 and two days later a neighbour had seen West sitting on the fence outside and he left when challenged.

On the 27th, the family returned and found him inside.

Prosecutor Joe Hedworth told the court: "The property has a private drive with a high fence and electric gate. They got out and the child picked up a blue lighter from the ground, which didn't belong to the family.

"The female occupier was concerned and looked through the living room window and saw the defendant asleep on their sofa.

"She told her partner there was someone in the house and they took the child to a neighbour's property.

"The man then opened the door and went inside. He shouted at the defendant, woke him up and pulled him out of the property."

When asked how he got in, drunken West lied and said "your lass let me in" before claiming a Chinese woman had let him in.

When he was later arrested he had two folding knives and some pliers.

The female householder said in a victim impact statement: "I now have the feeling our safe place is now not safe. We work hard for what we've got and to have someone intrude in our home is terrifying."

West, 38, of Torquay Road, Sunderland, who has one previous conviction, for unlawful wounding in 2003, pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to 20 months suspended for two years with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and rehabilitation.

The court heard alcohol had "ravaged" his life and he is "remorseful" and "mortified" by his behaviour.