A burglar has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after admitting a string of break-ins.

Symon Neilson, 23, of Chestnut Avenue, Headington, Oxford, admitted two charges of burglary, and a further charge of attempted burglary

Neilson, a heroin addict, asked the judge to take into account a further 12 burglaries and two attempted burglaries when sentencing him.

Barnaby Evans, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that Neilson burgled a house in St Anne's Road, Headington, on December 13 last year. He stole items worth £1,635, including jewellery, an electric keyboard and a digital camera. The following day he burgled an house in Morrell Avenue, taking property worth £2,870 including a £1,000 guitar, two amplifiers and video recording equipment.

He was arrested when he tried to sell the guitar at a shop in Headington, but the manager became suspicious and called the police.

Neilson claimed two men had told him they owned the items and that he could break in and take them to sell.

On February 23 this year, he abandoned an attempt to burgle a property in Old Road, Headington, when the occupier returned home, and he was found in a bedroom.