A THIEF who broke into a Headington bungalow while high on drugs and stole an air rifle along with a bag of ammunition has been jailed.

Symon Neilson, of no fixed abode, admitted one count of burglary at the property at Chestnut Avenue, Headington.

The 39-year old, Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing on Tuesday, stole a laptop, a BSA .22 air rifle, a gun bag, a telescopic sight, and lead pellet ammunition.

The rifle was valued at roughly £600, the court heard, and the break-in was the third in a string of burglaries after his first offence, dating back to 2001, and his second in 2009.

Neilson smashed a window to gain entry and police later found his blood at the scene after he cut himself on the glass, and were able to trace him through his DNA before he was arrested.

In mitigation, Lucy Ffrench said that her client was ‘remorseful’ at what he had done and wanted to apologise to the elderly residents of the house who discovered the break in later that day.

She added that he suffered from depression and had been acting as a carer for his mother at the time.

Sentencing, Recorder David Mayall jailed him for 18 months, sparing him an automatic jail term of three years for the 'third strike' burglary because it would be ‘unjust’ given how long ago the previous offences occurred, and Neilson's personal circumstances.