A DRUG addict who followed an elderly woman from the post office, turned up in her front room and helped himself to her pension is behind bars for a total of 21 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard that Terence Brown, 25, who had 30 previous convictions, had been released from jail two months earlier and the judge said there was nothing else for him but custody.

Recorder Robert Platts said he had put his 63-year-old victim through trauma and until he conquered his habit he was probably going to carry on committing offences.

Brown, of Exchange Street, Colne, was given 15 months after admitting burglary at the woman's house in Colne and the six months unexpired portion of his previous sentence.

Martin Hackett, prosecuting, said the woman, who lived alone, had gone to the post office for her pension and then went to a local shop. The defendant was there asking for change and she gave him some in exchange for notes. She put her purse back in her bag and went home, after declining an offer from the defendant to remove rubbish from her back yard. Once home, she put her purse on the fireplace and was in the front room when she turned round and saw Brown standing there. He was talking into a mobile telephone and when the woman asked him what he was doing he said he got a better signal inside. Brown was told to get out and walked away.

The woman was frightened and made herself a cup of tea to calm herself. She then noticed her purse was missing. Her pension money had gone and she had to get a crisis loan from the DSS.

Brown was arrested because a video recording from the shop showed him talking to the victim. When he was taken to the police station he said he could not remember anything. Paul Hague, defending, said until Brown was 19 he had been in full-time work, but he then started a heroin habit and began offending. He lived alone and seemed to be a loner.

He was given methadone and diazepam to get him off heroin but then became addicted to diazepam and bought the drug as well as taking ite on prescription.

Mr Hague said the defendant's record was lengthy but the offences were not of the worst. This would be only his third custodial sentence.

The burglary was a sneak offence which would be unsettling for the elderly complainant. When confronted, he left and did not cause any trouble.