A BURGLAR who walked into a neighbour's house in the middle of the night and stole her handbag has been jailed for 15 months.

Jean-Paul Croke had only been out of prison for a few weeks when he carried out the theft from a home on The Circle in Pinehurst.

But now the 22-year-old, who used to be called David Croke, is back behind bars.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said the victim went to bed at 10pm on Wednes-day October 6 last year leaving her handbag in the kitchen.

"Because her eldest son was working as a disc jockey and got home at any time they had something of a habit of leaving the front door unlocked," he said.

"She then discovered at 6.30am that the property had been entered and the handbag and contents removed.

"There was no forensic evidence but as chance would have it at about 2am a neighbour saw a man whom he knew by sight and first name visiting the property."

He said the man walked into the property and came out shortly after carrying something. When he challenged him he said he was collecting his own things from the house.

The witness spoke to the police and after an identity parade picked out Croke, who was living with his girlfriend nearby.

Although denying it when he was questioned Croke, formerly of Bur-bage Close, pleaded guilty to burglary. The handbag has never been recovered.

Mr Meeke said that Croke had been convicted in the past of two house burglaries.

Chris Smyth, defending, said his client had been released from prison two weeks earlier and had been returned twice for failing to comply with the conditions of his release on licence.

He said the offence was impulsive and Croke suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.

"The psychiatric services are not sure whether it was brought on by drug use or whether he has it anyway and it was exacerbated by drug use," he said.

Jailing him Recorder George Leggatt QC said "Entering someone's home in the middle of the night to steal from them is a serious matter and must have caused that family a great deal of distress."

Jamie Hill