AN 82-year-old woman woke in the middle of the night to find a burglar standing over her, a court heard yesterday.The frightened pensioner who lived in a ground floor flat in Well Street, Bury St Edmunds screamed and the intruder – 24-year-old Lee Ansell – had run off, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

AN 82-year-old woman woke in the middle of the night to find a burglar standing over her, a court heard yesterday.

The frightened pensioner who lived in a ground floor flat in Well Street, Bury St Edmunds screamed and the intruder – 24-year-old Lee Ansell – had run off, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Yesterday Ansell of no fixed address, admitted two offences of burglary and one of burglary with intent to steal and was jailed for 18 months.

Lindsay Cox, prosecuting said the first burglary happened on August 6 at a ground floor flat in Church Road, Bury St Edmunds while the occupants were asleep.

On that occasion a wallet, £50 cash and two mobile phones were stolen.

The next burglary happened on August 13 at a ground floor flat in Banks Walk Bury St Edmunds.

The owner had returned home after his wife had given birth to find Ansell standing behind a door, said Mr Cox.

Ansell had pushed the man backwards onto a bed and had run off with a watch and a mobile phone stolen from the premises.

The following evening Ansell had broken into the 82-year-old woman's flat.

Mr Cox said the victim of the second burglary and his wife had decided to move following the burglary.

Meanwhile the pensioner had been anxious and had problems sleeping since the burglary at her home.

John Morgans for Ansell said his client denied deliberately pushing the victim of the second burglary.

He said Ansell had only committed the burglaries because of his involvement in drugs. Since being in custody he has stopped taking drugs.