Mo Farah's brother jailed again after he tried to break into an elderly couple's home

British athletics hero Mo Farah's brother has been jailed after trying to break into an elderly couple's home.

Omar Farah, 21, who has 15 previous convictions, was caught trying to break into the pensioners' home after visiting his girlfriend in west London.

He was caught when he unwittingly tried to climb into their ground-floor bedroom thinking it was unoccupied.

According to police it was his 20th offence in a string of convictions which include burglary, robbery and handling stolen goods. 

Omar is the Olympic champion's half-brother as they share the same father Mukhtar. 

Farah, 21 pleaded guilty to one count of attempted burglary with intent to steal at Kingston Crown Court today. 

He had previously spoken about the support Mo, 31, had given him, seeing him as a role model, while in a 2013 interview he said he had been training as a graphic designer in a bid to avoid getting into trouble.

Today a judge branded his criminal record 'unimpressive', although the court heard he had not committed any further crimes since he tried breaking into the pensioner's home at around 7am March 2 last year.

Prosecutor José Olivares-Chandler said: 'There were two elderly Polish occupants in a downstairs bedroom of this residential premises.

'There were woken by noise and it became clear there was a stranger at the window.

'The male occupant saw an arm, shouted and disturbed that stranger who ran off across the front garden, through the gate and away.'

The elderly couple slept in a ground floor bedroom which overlooking their front garden.

Despite being woken by Farah they did not see him but his fingerprints were found on the window.

The prosecutor continued: 'He was arrested at a later date after details were circulated and gave no comment during interview.'

The court heard how Farah, who lived in Brentford, west London, had a string of previous convictions including two for burglary.

Mr Olivares-Chandler said: 'Your honour will see that he has 15 convictions for 20 offences.

'There are numerous offences for dishonesty, but the two the Crown would like to draw reference two are domestic burglaries. 

Farah, who has been in Wandsworth prison since May, appeared in the dock in a grey cricket jumper and dark blue jeans.

He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted burglary with intent to steal after prosecutors agreed to drop a more serious charge of burglary with intent.

Andrew Turton, defending, claimed he was an 'opportunist' who had seen the chance to break into the property after visiting his girlfriend nearby.

He said: 'On the same road lived his girlfriend, this was an opportunist, spur-of-the-moment burglary.' 

Sentencing him to 15 months imprisonment Judge Jones said: 'You are 21 years of age and you have got an unimpressive criminal record.

'Apart from matters of theft you have two previous residential burglaries and you have offences of robbery and handling stolen goods - not an attractive record [and] have been in custody for a fair amount of time.

'I arrive that a final sentence of 15 months' imprisonment, you have been in custody for a good while but not long enough.' 

Culled