A BABY-FACED 16-year-old who started his life of crime at the age of 13 has been jailed by a judge for preying on vulnerable old people.

The teenager who targeted defenceless pensioners in the Farnworth area, was sentenced to 18 months by Judge William Morris who told him: "The court has a duty to protect those in society who are vulnerable.

"Elderly people are vulnerable to those like yourself who commit offences in their own homes."

Bolton Crown Court heard that during one burglary the youth from Farnworth, stole the handbag of an elderly woman who was unable to move after suffering a stroke.

On another occasion the youth talked his way into an 80-year-old woman's flat on the pretext his cat had entered her house.

But the old lady became alarmed after the boy wandered around clearly looking for things to steal from her flat.

The teenager, who canot be named for legal reasons, appeared for sentence for two burglaries carried out last year and in June this year. He also admitted three offences of failing to surrender to bail.

Judge William Morris said he would have sentenced the boy to a two year Detention and Training Order (DTO) but that he had to give him 18 months because he had already served seven weeks in custody.

The court was told that the boy's criminal career had started when he was just 13 and included burglaries including one where he had threatened a 74 year-old in her own home. In another he was caught by the house owner who returned home unexpectedly.

Brian McKenna, defending, said the boy was 15 when he committed the first burglary and 16 when he broke into the second pensioner's flat. He recognised that he would receive a lengthy custodial sentence.