A REPEAT burglar who broke into the home of a friend's neighbour after seeing him going out has been jailed for 32 months.

David Evans, who has a long history of house burglary, was caught after leaving his DNA on a spoon used to force the electricity meter.

And despite trying to persuade a judge at Swindon Crown Court he had finally turned over a new leaf a judge told he had 'to give householders some sense of security'.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said the 33-year-old was staying at a pal's bedsit above the Rolleston Arms pub when he committed the offence on Saturday April 5.

He said the victim, Darren Smith, saw Evans in the corridor outside his room on the junction of Commercial Road and Curtis Street when he went out.

Mr Meeke said when he returned at about 3pm he found a sash window over the kitchen sink had been smashed and opened.

In the room, his Acer laptop worth about £500 had been taken from under his bed and the electricity meter had been forced and the cash tray removed.

After his DNA was found on the spoon Evans was arrested but answered no comment to the questions he was asked.

Evans, of Ascham Road, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to burglary. The court heard he had numerous convictions for breaking into houses.

Mr Meeke said he was last jailed as a three strike burglar in 2009 when he got 34 months having got four years and four months in 2006.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client's first conviction n the juvenile court was for the same offence, which had been repeated many times in the past 16 years.

"Shortly after the April 5 he was before the lower court on two occasions where he was given a community order and is subject to that now.

"It would appear over the past two-and-a-half, nearly three, months had wrought something of a change.

"At 33 years of age he looked in the mirror and realised he had been a bit of an idiot for 16 years and someone is now trying to help me."

He said he had complied with all the requirements of the order, is attending drug treatment and providing clean samples.

Mr Ross said he was also working at a farm in Devizes and for the first time in a long time wasn't waking up thinking where his next fix was coming from.

Jailing him Recorder Ian Lawrie QC said "Mr Ross has, if I may say so, made a sterling and, in the light of your offending history, valiant effort to get this court to adopt a sentence that does not mean you go to prison today.

"Despite his considerable efforts, and persuasive efforts, I am of a cynical state of mind when I read this file of your offending and this offence.

"You saw an opportunity when you saw this friend's neighbour leaver his flat to break in and steal his computer and money.

"What I can't ignore is your appalling record as a domestic burglar and you are a three striker.

"Yes you are on a community order and doing well but I can't ignore after the first one you committed this. You committing this offence as simply affirmation of that attitude.

"I am not persuaded if given this order you will simply re3deem yourself and become a productive member of the community.

"At the very least it falls for this court to give householders some sense of security."