Jailed: Shropshire roofer, 23, burgled home he had worked on

Matthew Slater broke in to the house and ransacked rooms while the owners were away.

The burglary, just before Christmas last year, was the start of a crime spree in the Higher Heath area by the 23-year-old to feed his cannabis habit.

Slater had also broken into a business in the area where he had previously worked, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told, and he was growing cannabis plants on a commercial scale in an outbuilding at his Higher Heath home.

At court Slater, of Heathwood Road, Higher Heath, was jailed for a total of four-and-half years for four burglaries, theft and the production of cannabis and theft of electricity.

Judge Jonathan Gosling said that the owners of two houses had been devastated by the burglaries and the loss of sentimental property.

He told Slater that he was intelligent, from a good family and had been trusted when working for the family roofing business, but had "gone badly off the rails" with the spate of offending, much of which was committed while he was on bail.

The court heard that Slater and his uncle had worked at a house in Higher Heath in December last year and a few days later Slater burgled the house. Roof tiles were removed from a utility room to gain entry and two TV sets worth £1,800 and a sound system were taken.

Mr Neil Ahuja, prosecuting, said a glove mark on a door handle linked DNA to the defendant.

The second burglary was on December 27 at an address in Higher Heath, where a laptop, cash and jewellery were stolen in addition to three First World War medals. Mr Ahuja said a candle had been lit by the intruder from which the DNA was again linked to the defendant.

On January 7 police went to Slater's address and found 50 cannabis plants growing in a shed. The prosecution said the set-up could have produced more than four kilograms of the Class B drug with a street value of up to £24,000.

The power supply had been hooked up to the main grid which had previously been disconnected, allowing the use of more than £900 worth of unpaid electricity.

The defendant was also involved the theft of plumbing equipment from a van and had also received a stolen iPad.

In March, while still on bail, Slater broke into two businesses – Psycle Interactive Ltd and Grocontinental Ltd – both in Higher Heath, during which £14,500 worth of computers and phones were stolen.

Mr Brendan Reedy, for Slater, said his client had shown remorse and had stopped taking drugs.