A burglar who fell asleep in the middle of a break-in has been given a chance to get off hard drugs.

Santiago Taboada, 19, of Loyd Road, Didcot, admitted five burglaries committed in December last year, and taking an Austin Montego without the owner's consent.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday he was sentenced to two years' probation and a two-year drug treatment and testing order.

He had asked for a further 30 offences to be taken into account.

On December 21, last year, Taboada broke into Unipart House, Cowley, where he was found, at 7.30am, asleep on a desk.

Two days later, he broke into the kitchen of the Swan Hotel, Streatley, and took a handbag and mobile phone. He also burgled a cottage in Wallingford while the occupants were asleep upstairs.

The following day he burgled a house in Kirby Close, Wallingford, and stole an Austin Montego.

That night, he was arrested after breaking into Rush Court nursing home, Wallingford.

Police were called and Taboada attempted to drive off in the stolen Montego, which he then crashed.

John Upton, defending, asked the Recorder, Guy Hungerford, to follow the recommendations of pre-sentence reports.

Instead of passing a custodial sentence on Taboada, Mr Hungerford said: "The better course is for you to be subject to a drug treatment and testing order."