A DRUG addict who woke his victim up as he went through his bedroom in a night burglary has avoided prison.

Matthew McKechnie disturbed William Bentley after climbing through the window of his Cowley flat and stealing a watch, Oxford Crown Court heard on Monday.

The 28-year-old burglar, who had admitted the offence, was given a 14-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and told to complete a nine-month drug rehabilitation programme.

The court heard McKechnie went into Mr Bentley’s ground floor Salesian House flat in September last year.

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He was arrested but went on to commit assault and shoplifting offences while on bail for the crime.

But his barrister, Kate O’Raghallaigh, said he had worked hard to end his addiction and straighten out his life. She said McKechnie, of Winchester Road in Oxford, was in the “throes of addiction” when he committed the burglary.

She said: “This is a young man who has considerable remorse for committing this offence.

“This is a young man who is prepared to start fresh.”

Passing sentence, Recorder Caroline Goodwin told McKechnie: “Mr Bentley in his ground floor flat woke up to find you rummaging through his belongings.

“It is every householder’s worst nightmare to find somebody in their home in the area in which they are sleeping.

“One can only imagine the utter terror that would have been upon him and his mind must have been racing as to what on earth you were going to do or were capable of doing.”

She added: “On bail you then continue to offend with complete disregard for the privilege of bail you had been granted.”

But, she said, after reading glowing references from supporters, she was going to suspend his prison sentence.

She said: “I have no doubt your offending in the first place was all about your craving and your need to find something quickly and easy to sell to fund your habit.”

She warned McKechnie he would got to prison if he committed another crime, adding: “The future is in your hands, and only your hands.”