Burglar discovered fast asleep on sofa in home of family he was trying to steal from

A burglar has been jailed after he was discovered sleeping on a sofa inside the home of a family he was trying to steal from.

Scott Tinsley was found snoring on the settee after breaking into the house in Stoke-on-Trent in the early hours of the morning.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how the 38-year-old from Cobridge, Staffordshire, had already taken electrical goods from the house and piled them up in the garden.

He then returned to the house to get something to eat and drink but fell asleep on the sofa after taking drugs, leaving the gas turned on.

Tinsley wasn't discovered until the next morning at 7.30am when he was found asleep in the front room.

The court was told how the raid last November was supposed to be a quick burglary for easy money to sell on electrical goods.

But the unnamed mother at the house alerted police after finding him snoring in their living room.

Prosecutor Neil Ahuja said: 'She was particularly concerned as her three children were asleep upstairs.

'She alerted her husband and they woke the defendant up. He tried to leave but was detained by the husband.

'Various valuables had been removed from the front room and taken outside, including the television, games console and CD player.

'They were found by police in a back garden two doors further down.'

The court was also told that Tinsley's relationship had broken down and he had relapsed into further drug use.

Simon Leech, defending, said: 'He did not respond with any degree of violence.

'It would have been a very frightening incident for the family, including the children.

'It would have been dangerous, had the gas supply ignited.'

Tinsley pleaded guilty to burglary and Judge Nigel Daly jailed him for 40 months. 

He told Tinsley, who has 102 offences from 41 convictions, that he was the most 'pathetic' burglar in history.

He said: 'You were so off your head - you fell asleep during the burglary. You are a rather pathetic figure.

'This was a domestic burglary with people in the home, including young children, and it took place at night.

'In your drugged-up state you managed to leave the gas on, you helped yourself to food as well as valuable goods.

'The trauma of finding that must have been considerable for the parents.'

Culled