A PROLIFIC teenage thief who targeted people he knew after becoming homeless looks set to avoid jail.

William Atkins, 19, has admitted a string of thefts and burglaries across Essex since last summer.

The first offence took place when Atkins broke into the house of a school friend’s in Cotman Road, Clacton, on August 17 last year and stole the keys for an Audi A3.

After making off with the vehicle he took various items inside, including a Kindle Fire tablet, and torched the £14,000 car.

He was also admitted driving without a license and without insurance during the incident.

In December 2014 he broke into the home of a man he knew in Langham Drive, Clacton, by smashing a rear window and opening the door.

He took jewellery, clothes and aftershave and also helped himself to a bowl of soup. Detectives were able to track him down because he left his DNA on the spoon.

Atkins also admitted stealing a mobile phone and a key from the home of a friend in Rayne Road, Braintree and a Volkswagen Polo from an ex-girlfriend in Pitsea last year.

Mitigating Nneka Akudolu said: “This is quite a sorry state of affairs and it is not entirely clear what has happened to this young man because before the middle of last year he had never troubled the courts.

“He spent nine years in care but in the last year when he began offending he found himself homeless and it would seem related to that.

“He helped himself to the bowl of soup because he was hungry.”

Recorder John Foy QC told Atkins, whole last known address was in High Street, Braintree, that for these offences he would not be sending him to jail but could not go through with a full sentencing because Atkins is currently remanded in custody on unrelated charges of assault and grievous bodily harm.

Speaking at Chelsmford Crown Court on Thursday he said: “If I was just sentencing for these offences I would give a suspended sentence with some community work and a supervision order.

“The sentence would be suspended by the narrowest of narrow margins.”

The sentencing has been adjourned until Friday November 20.