A man who repeatedly burgled houses in Lacock has been remanded in custody for psychiatric reports.

Leroy Wynter was caught on camera as he burgled King John’s Hunting Lodge, the oldest house in Lacock, for the third time in a month.

Police installed the security system in the 13th century building, which doubles as a tea room, after 80-year-old Margaret Vaughan suffered two break ins.

And when officers looked at footage from the system after the latest intrusion they got a picture of the 35-year-old who has a long history of crime.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court that Wynter also broke into another house in the village on three occasions as well as other properties.

He also twice racially abused the white boss of his local betting shop the week before Christmas, threatening to slash him.

Miss Squire said two of the burglaries took place in Lacock in the early hours of Tuesday May 19.

At about 1.30am she said Mrs Vaughan heard a bang downstairs and knew immediately that she was being burgled again.

But the 80-year-old was so scared at what was going on she couldn’t even bring herself to call the police until she knew the coast was clear.

When officers arrived at 6am in the morning the pensioner, who has a heart complaint, was in tears apologising for not calling them at the time.

The raider stole an antique box which contained about £50 in cash as well as three charity boxes.

The same night at 3.30am the alarm went off at The Old Rectory, on Cantax Hill, Lacock, which is a bed and breakfast as well as a family home.

Elaine Sexton, who runs the establishment with her husband, went downstairs and heard heavy breathing from behind a door and shouted at him as he ran off.

The court was told that Mrs Vaughan had been badly affected by the latest break in at her home which had hit her much harder than the other raids.

She said “This is the third time and it has really taken its toll. I feel vulnerable because I was alone and it chips away at your confidence.”

Wynter, of Somerset Road, Melksham, pleaded guilty to two counts of racially aggravated threatening behaviour, two of burglary and asked for ten other burglaries to be taken into consideration.

The court heard he had previous convictions for 27 dwelling house burglaries and was jailed for three years and nine months in 2005 for wounding with intent to cause GBH and escaping from custody.

He had been on the run for eight months after escaping from a psychiatric unit where he was being assessed after laying in wait and slashing a man’s face with a razor blade.

Moses Tawo, defending, said that in the past his client had refused to accept the help of the mental health services and rejected their intervention as recently as late May.

But he said since being remanded in custody he had found God and wanted to get treatment for his problems rather than further imprisonment.

He said that although Wynter knew he was facing a custodial sentence he wanted a psychiatric report because he was unhappy with his medical treatment behind bars.

Recorder Euan Ambrose adjourned the case to Thursday August 20 to allow the report to be compiled and remanded Wynter in custody.