A SERIAL burglar snuck into the home of a vulnerable woman in her 80s in broad daylight as she sat and ate lunch oblivious to him.

Wesley Trevett also struck at two other homes, as well as on two occasions at Royal Bolton Hospital, in a spree of almost eight weeks.

Arrested after the last of the offences at the hospital on October 1, Trevett, of Clive Street, admitted one attempted burglary and four burglaries last month.

The 42-year-old was sentenced before Judge Tom Gilbart at Bolton Crown Court this week.

The court heard how Trevett's offences started at a house in Over Hulton, in the early hours of August 10 of last year.

Prosecutor Philip Hall said a smart doorbell caught him approach the house, pull a mask over his mouth and try to use the door handle.

He left when the door did not open.

It was the next month when Trevett snuck into the home of a vulnerable woman in Bolton.

Mr Hall said the woman in her 80s was eating lunch and listening to the radio at her home in Deane when he entered through the open patio doors.

He took cash, keys and a handbag, and it was only when the handbag was later discovered that the victim realised what had happened.

Trevett repeated the trick three days later and entered another house through open patio doors, this time on Highfield Road, Farnworth.

He took a purse and tried to use the bank cards inside to purchase scratchcards and tobacco.

The spree ended with two burglaries at Royal Bolton Hospital a week apart, one in a seminar room and one in an office attached to the bereavement centre.

Trevett damaged the lock on both rooms and took a handbag belonging to a biomedical scientist the first time, then food, an ID card, a set of keys and £30 from the office's tea fund the second time.

In mitigation, John Richards told the court Trevett has had problems with drugs since he was teenager, as well as problems with his mental health which have led to a series of admissions to hospital.

Despite more than 30 previous convictions, Mr Richards stressed the 42-year-old is able to remain out of trouble, as illustrated by an almost 10-year gap in convictions up until last year.

He said: "For the first time since he was 14, he wants the chance to come off drugs.

"In the past, he wanted to continue drugs. He didn't want to address his criminality."

Judge Gilbart acknowledged the points in mitigation, but said a suspended sentence was inappropriate in light of the seriousness of the offences and Trevett's record of compliance with such sentences.

Sentencing Trevett to two years and three months in prison, he said: "Even if it could be suspended, it would be inappropriate to do so. There must be an immediate custodial sentence."