A burglar who targeted homes in Aberystwyth stole items while an 85-year-old pensioner was sleeping upstairs, a court has heard.

Ian Joseph Brown, 41, admitted burglary of three homes in February 2018 where he stole a range of items including a bicycle, silver candlesticks, bank cards and even a box of matches.

As well as pleading guilty to three charges of burglary, he also entered a guilty plea to burglary with intent to steal after entering the garage of a Pwllhobi property.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor urged magistrates to send the case to the crown court for sentencing saying that in at least two of the burglaries, homeowners were asleep in the property.

One of the homeowners was an 85-year-old woman, with Mr Challinor saying that the fact that people were present in their homes during the burglaries was an aggravating factor.

Brown, who appeared in court via videolink and gave his address as Parc Prison in Bridgend, was remanded in custody until a hearing at Swansea Crown Court on 25 August.