A student returned to her city centre flat after a two-minute trip to Gregg’s to hear strangers’ voices inside, a court was told.

The undergraduate left the door to her flat closed but unlocked, as she nipped out to buy a takeaway snack in Durham, on Saturday, October 21, last year.

As she left her flat down an alleyway off Saddler Street, she noticed two men who appeared intoxicated.

Durham Crown Court was told that when she got back, a short time later, the door which she had left closed was open.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said the shocked student looked in to see a stranger sitting at the dinner table talking to another unknown male.

She shouted at them to leave, grabbed her phone and rang for the police.

When the pair of intruders left, she realised some of her flatmate’s belongings were missing,

Police examined CCTV footage from the area and an officer recognised one of the men in the vicinity of the alleyway as David Joynes.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with burglary with intent to steal.

The victim told police she had previously felt safe and secure in her, “home from home” in Durham, until the incident.

Joynes, a third strike-plus burglar, admitted the latest break-in at a hearing in August, a week after failing to appear for a court hearing and being arrested on a bench warrant.

The 46-year-old defendant, most recently of Eskdale Street, Darlington, was said to have 54 for convictions for 205 offences, including previous burglaries dotted through his record, going back to the year 2000.

Annelise Haugstad, for Joynes, told the court: “He’s 46 and it’s true to say he’s served a number of previous sentences of imprisonment."

She said on his previous release from prison he found himself in difficult circumstances, with family health issues which led him to return to drug misuse.

Miss Haugstad said that was behind the latest offence which has led to him being detained in custody since his arrest on the warrant.

It has come at a time he has his own health issues for which he is to undergo surgery in coming days.

Miss Haugstad said the defendant now looks forward to his eventual release to enable him to look after his partner, at a time she is enduring, “a difficult time”.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Judge Nathan Adams told Joynes he falls to be sentenced, “yet again”, for burglary.

“By my reckoning this is the 20th burglary you have committed and the sixth dwelling house burglary.

“Your previous sentence of 54 months had not long expired before you offended again.”

Imposing a 31-month prison sentence, Judge Adams told the defendant it was a five-month reduction on the mandatory three years for three strikes and above burglars, which was “credit” for his guilty plea.

The judge said in the current circumstances, he would serve 40-per cent of the sentence before being eligible for release, which, given the time served on remand, maybe in little more than ten months.

But he warned the defendant that if he does want to stay out of custody, in future, he should avoid further offending upon his release.