Jailed: Bungling Telford burglar left his mobile phone at crime scene

Police were soon on the trail of traced caught prolific burglar Nathan Warrender, who claimed he was drunk at the time of the burglary, when they found his phone at the Telford home. Among the items taken from the detached house overnight on August 27, 2016, was the family's Alfa Romeo car, £280 in cash and a £600 hammer drill.

Prosecuting barrister Mr Trevor Meeghan, said the family was occupants were asleep when the 24 year old burglar, who has a history of criminal activity, broke into the house in Newlands Drive, Oakengates.

He said the victim, Paul Dean, only became aware of the break-in when a friend contacted him the following day to say that property from his home, including bank cards, was strewn across the street outside.

The car was later discovered burnt out in Donnington.

Mr Meeghan said: "The defendant left a mobile phone at the scene on the sofa. It was examined by the police and clearly just by looking at the text messages it is attributed to the defendant."

He added that Warrender was not charged with any separate offence for destroying the car when he was arrested at his home, in Hollybirch Grove, St Georges.

The hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Warrender had 16 previous burglary convictions, the first when he was aged 12, and further convictions for theft and taking a vehicle without consent.

He was made subject to a community order for shoplifting and motoring offences dating from January 2015 when he committed his latest crime.

Warrender pleaded guilty to offences of burglary and theft after initially denying any wrong-doing.

Defending barrister Mr Brendan Reedy said Warrender had grown up in care and had issues with alcohol.

"He has no recollection of the incident. He had been to his brother's place close to the burglary site. He had been drunk," Me Reedy said.

Sentencing Warrender, Judge Mr Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard said: "In my judgement this matter is aggravated by a number of features including your record of some 29 convictions involving 65 offences.

"I know that you had two burglary convictions when you were 12, but I am not going to follow the consequences of that. I don't think the public would want the stigma of burglary when you were 12 to be carried forward now."

He sentenced Warrender to two years in custody for burglary and 12 months for theft, to run concurrently.

He must serve half before being released on licence.

Warrender's community order that was due to expire next week was revoked.