A BURGLAR who raided a neighbour's home caught himself on barbed wire and cut himself breaking a window before leaving a trail of damage in the house.

Drug-addled Brian McDermott also claimed his property had been broken into when police arrived on the scene - but there was no evidence of an intrusion.

McDermott was yesterday jailed for a total of two years after he admitted a charge of burglary and breaching a suspended sentence for shoplifting.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 33-year-old had a "shocking" criminal record containing 120 offences and included five years for a 2009 robbery.

His lawyer, John Nixon, told the court: "This was a matter completely on impulse. He took advantage of a situation, but it was not targeting a property.

"He makes no secret of the fact that this offence was committed under the influence of drugs, zoplicone . . . this makes matters worse for him.

"It was done utterly on impulse without any real forethought. It was utterly unsophisticated. He has a shocking record. There are Jekyll and Hyde aspects to him."

Judge Simon Phillips, QC, refused to accept the break-in was on the spur of the moment, saying McDermott had quickly sold the stolen goods for drug money.

The court heard that the victim - a 22-year-old university student - had been out of her home, to the cinema with a friend, for just three hours.

She returned to find glass on the kitchen floor, cupboard doors open, a television overturned, and bedroom drawers and cupboards had been rifled through.

A Sony PlayStation games console, a lap-top computer and a remote control for the television had been stolen, prosecutor Rachel Masters said.

In an impact statement, the victim said she has had trouble sleeping since the May 29 crime, and is afraid to leave her home in case it happens again.

"All of that is because of your selfishness and your actions on this occasion," Judge Phillips told McDermott, of Atholl Street, Middlesbrough.

"In her words, it has had a massive negative impact on her, and causes worry and concern. She is fearful of leaving her home for what may happen.

"She, therefore, feels trapped in her own home, doesn't feel safe to leave, and fears that concern will continue when she returns at the beginning of the academic year."