A PERSISTENT young offender escaped a custodial sentence after breaking into two homes to steal cash.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, broke a window to steal a piggy bank containing £35 on Thursday, March 6, Worcester magistrates heard yesterday.

Days later, he broke into the kitchen of a house, as the elderly occupant was upstairs, and stole £100 cash, £2 worth of cigarettes and an out-of-date credit card.

He admitted burglary after voluntarily turning up at a police station.

"He is a persistent young offender whose last appearance before a court was at Hereford magistrates on Tuesday, February 18, this year where he was fined £50 for shoplifting," said Sally Hill prosecuting.

Nick Roberts, defending, said the offences were committed by a young man with problems.

"He was suffering from malaise and felt that life was against him and had no one to turn to," he told the court.

Mr Roberts added that the youth had been homeless after his mother had kicked him out of the family home, and he was now living in a bed and breakfast in a Worcestershire village.

He also said the teenager had been the victim of racist abuse and was "a young black man in a predominantly white community".

Mr Roberts urged the court to consider a combination of community punishment and rehabilitation rather than a custodial sentence.

"This is not an easy touch and is not an easy order," he said.

The youth admitted burglary and was given a 12 month community rehabilitation order, 80 hours community punishment order, fined £217 plus £100 costs.