A crack cocaine addict has been jailed for 21 months after admitting stealing cash donated to a children's charity.

Pieter Fox, 26, and James Defreitas, 18, raided the Family Resource Centre in Windsor Street, Brighton, last July.

They broke in through a window and "ransacked" the office, stealing a safe and electrical items including a mobile telephone.

They were caught by forensic evidence, Hove Crown Court heard.

Fox, of Laburnum Avenue, Hove, pleaded guilty to burglary and also admitted attempting to obtain property by deception using a stolen gift voucher and handling a stolen sweatshirt at Allsports in Churchill Square.

Defreitas, of Lower Bevendean Avenue, Brighton, admitted burglary, stealing car stereos from two cars near his home and one count of handling a stolen car stereo.

Ahmed Hossain, defending, said both were drug addicts and had taken varying cocktails of illegal substances on the day of the burglary.

He referred to Fox as having an "unenviable list of previous convictions" and Defreitas as an "impressionable young man".

Sentencing, Judge Charles Kemp said: "The burglary was on the Family Resource Centre, a place where people work hard for people and their families, no doubt with limited resources.

"Yet you two broke in and stole property, cash collected for a children's charity and a safe.

"It is difficult to conceive a more mean and selfish offence.

He spared Defreitas jail, because of his youth and previous good character. He was ordered to do a total of 160 hours community service and told to pay £300 compensation to the social services centre.