A THIEF who smashed into a student house with a brick in an apparent bid to steal a bicycle has been jailed.

Fouad Akouir of Henley Street, Oxford, had already admitted one count of burglary at the house at Magdalen Road, Oxford.

At his sentencing on Friday, Oxford Crown Court heard how the 19-year old had smashed his way into the house shared by four students using the brick on the afternoon of May 28.

Prosecutor Alexandra Bull told the court that one of the students was at home at the time and saw Akouir through a frosted glass window.

Alerted to her presence inside, the court heard, he fled, only to return shortly afterwards and lobbing the brick through a window to gain entry.

The woman ran to her bedroom before locking herself and another student who was home inside, while Akouir stole a purse from a rucksack in the property and fled, again smashing another window to flee.

Police chased him and he was arrested soon after.

In a victim personal statement read to the court the victim said she felt ‘on edge’ as a result of the ordeal and it had left her feeling afraid.

In mitigation, his defence team said that he had been homeless in the run-up to the incident and pointed to his lack of previous convictions.

The court also heard that on arrest, he told police he had only carried out the burglary to steal a bicycle.

Sentencing, Judge Peter Ross said: “The impact of this offence on [the victim] and her colleague demonstrates why burglary is readily treated by the courts as an offence against people.

“Not only was she terrified at the time but the impact upon her was such that she had to leave her home as did her fellow student, and a home in which she should be happy.”

Akouir was jailed for 20 months and will pay a victim surcharge as compensation to his victim.