A man went on an 'inexplicable' spree of burglaries at his neighbours' properties after previously having a clean record, a court was told.

Daniel Raven, 23, from Queens Road, Norwich, also stole and then cashed his grandmother's pension and winter fuel allowance cheques, Norwich magistrates heard yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to burglary of a dwelling at the same address in Queens Road on May 10 and May 21, and also asked for other matters to be taken into consideration including stealing his grandmother's two cheques – worth about �400 – last December, and stealing items from another address in Queens Road on April 30.

Prosecuting, Phil Charnley said Raven was living with his grandmother last December when he stole her pension cheque of �157 and her winter fuel allowance of �250 and cashed them both at the Vauxhall Street post office where he was known.

He at first denied the thefts but later admitted taking both cheques. He said he had a cashflow problem and a child to look after, with another one on the way.

Mr Charnley said: 'On April 30 residents left an address in Queens Road and when they returned they found that a rear ground floor window had been forced and several items stolen. Raven's fingerprints were found.

'The defendant was interviewed and said he had sold a video camera he stole to Cashmaker in Anglia Square.

'On May 21 he burgled another property in Queens Road. He again entered through a window and stole a laptop and other items. His modus operandi was identical to the previous burglary. It also emerged that he had burgled the same address on May 10.'

For Raven, Chris Browne said: 'Something here has gone seriously wrong. How did someone with no previous convictions commit a flurry of offences in such a short period of time, and such level of gravity as burglaries of dwellings?

'It's inexplicable other than he has had some sort of breakdown, fear or panic over impending fatherhood. He has one stepdaughter and his wife is seven months pregnant. He has not worked for a couple of years but he has no drug issues.'

Magistrates adjourned sentencing to June 13. Raven was given bail with conditions not to go to Queens Road and must live at his brother-in-law's address in Heartsease.