A BURGLAR who targeted homes in and around Swindon has been jailed for two years.

Swindon Crown Court heard how Lee Fitchett ransacked a home in Marsland Road, Upper Stratton, when high on drugs before being caught trying to nab £3,445 of goods from a home in Marlborough.

Fitchett, 19, of Brentry, Bristol, admitted burglary, obstructing police and theft.

Judge John McNaught told him: "For a 19-year-old you have a long list of convictions. All the offences were committed while you were subject to a combination order and all, except the first, were while you were on bail."

Prosecuting, Colin Meeke, said Fitchett was seen in the Marsland Road home when the occupant was away.

Police called in to find Fitchett hiding in the loft and saw the premises had been searched.

Mr Meeke said: "When interviewed Mr Fitchett said he had argued with his girlfriend, taken some tablets and woken up in a police cell."

Mr Meeke added Fitchett was grabbed by police again when the Fiat he was travelling in crashed in Marlborough High Street packed with electrical goods from a burgled home in Back Lane. The court heard Fitchett also gave police a false name when they investigated him for driving while disqualified without insurance. Defending, Rob Ross described Fitchett as someone who had an intermittent drug problem, who had stopped drug taking of his own volition but had lapsed when he formed a new relationship.

Mr Ross described how his client had clearly been under the influence of drugs when he targeted the Swindon home because when Fitchett was taken into police custody he decided to take all his clothes off. He said his client accepted that he assisted another person in putting electrical goods from the raid on the Marlborough home into the Fiat.

Mr Ross added: "He does things to bring the law down on him because he feels worthless. He resorts to criminality to almost punish himself."

The judge banned Fitchett from driving for a year and ordered that his licence be endorsed.