Security guard Kevin Hill was so drunk he could not remember stealing a present on Christmas morning from a neighbour, a court heard.

The 31-year-old, of Craven Way, Didcot, walked through patio windows in Hillary Drive, Didcot, which Karen Gilfillan had opened to let her cat out, at 2.15am on Christmas morning and stole £80 shoes.

He was so drunk he did not know he had committed the offence until police arrived next morning. The court heard that Mrs Gilfillan had seen him walking on her garden path and later running to his home nearby.

Hill pleaded guilty at Didcot Magistrates' Court to one charge of burglary and was sent to Oxford Crown Court for sentence. He was given two years' probation and ordered to pay £250 compensation and £175 costs.

Vivian Walters, prosecuting, said: "He had accepted he had committed the offence when confronted with the evidence, even though he did not remember." Paul Mitchell, defending, said: "It is not really the behaviour of anyone you would consider a burglar in the ordinary sense. Whatever the motivation, greed does not match it. He earns £300 a week and had £320 on him when he was arrested."

Mr Mitchell said that Hill had been drinking heavily and had gone to visit his mother's grave in the middle of the night. Judge Anthony King said: "This is an unusual and exceptional case but it must have been a very frightening experience for her."

Story date: Monday 17 May

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