A cat burglar, who scared a home owner so much she climbed out of a window, was jailed for 30 months.

Neil Thomson, 19, of Saxton Road, Abingdon - who was found hiding in the woman's wardrobe - was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after being committed by magistrates.

Alan Blake, prosecuting, said Thomson crept into Sarah Morgan's flat in Ock Street, Wantage, in the early hours of August 18 this year.

He left his trainers at the door and tried to close her bedroom door before searching through her belongings in the lounge.

Mr Blake said Ms Morgan woke up and lay terrified in her bed for ten minutes before climbing out of the window of her en-suite bathroom. Thomson was taken to Didcot police station where a purse was found on him. Ms Morgan later identified it as hers.

Mr Blake told the court Ms Morgan was so traumatised by the event she could not work for a month and would move out of the property.

Vivian Walter, defending, said: "My client is aware now of the terrifying effect that this had on someone asleep in bed." She said he was so drunk he could not remember the incident at all.

Judge Francis Allen said: "You will serve 30 months for a ghastly night-time burglary."

Story date: Saturday 20 November

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