THE aunt of a cocaine and ketamine addict burglar who raided properties in less than two months, including his own grandmother's, has paid £15,000 for him to go into rehab.

As a result George Mullard has been told he will not serve a jail term if he succeeds on the 90 day residential course and does not get into any further trouble.

The 22-year-old ransacked houses and used a Sharpie pen to scrawl vile graffiti on the living room wall of a Royal Wootton Bassett home.

After hearing his family were supporting his battle with addiction Judge Robert Pawson said he would suspend the sentence if he stayed on the straight and narrow.

He put off passing sentence until March 1 next year to give Mullard, who had already seen a local drugs treatment agency Turning Point to start treatment at StreetScene in Bournemouth.

He said "You know that your aunt is prepared to pay a very significant sum of money for you to attend the course at StreetScene.

"I have taken into account various matters in relation to your case. The first is you are only 22. That is an adult, you are responsible for your actions, but you are still relatively young. Secondly you have got no previous matters recorded against you.

"Thirdly I was - and remain - particularly impressed by the letters written on your behalf, particularly by your aunt.

"There is also a letter from your mother Shelly Reeves and I also note that you started to engage with Turning Point. You also pleaded guilty at an early stage."

He told him "If you don't meet my expectations in that you know what will happen. You will have wasted a substantial amount of your aunt's money, but you will also have wasted a great opportunity in your life. If you comply it won't be immediate custody."

Mullard went on the offending spree in August and September raiding three houses on Field Rise, in Swindon's Old Town, along with four others in neighbouring streets.

During one of the break ins he made off with a couple's engagement rings, bought in the 1960s and took gold and pearl jewellery worth thousands from neighbours. In September he broke into a house on Saffron Close, Royal Wootton Bassett, making off with a £900 gold sovereign ring and a £500 Gucci watch and leaving the offensive word behind.

A few days earlier he had burgled his grandmother's home on High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett, and in July he raided her next door neighbour.taking diamond stud earrings worth £4,000, a £300 silver chain and an Apple watch worth £369. None of the jewellery, which had great sentimental value, was ever found.

Mullard, of The Roaring Donkey pub in Old Town, Swindon, admitted five counts of burglary, with another four and one attempted burglary taken into account.