A BURGLAR who stole from his next door neighbour has been jailed for two years.

Danny Rayson was first convicted of burgling a home when he was aged just 11, Oxford Crown Court heard on Monday.

Now aged 23 he has admitted stealing hair straighteners and two small swords from his neighbours in Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester on July 27.

The break-in happened while the homeowners were out in the afternoon and a crystal ornament, Xbox and Playstation 3 games were also found to be missing from the house, the court heard.

The day after the burglary police searched Rayson’s bedroom and found the two swords under his mattress. Officers also found the GHD hair straighteners in his girlfriend’s handbag.

The court heard Rayson, a father-of-one, has 22 convictions for crimes including assault, drugs crimes, and public order offences.

But Anthony McGeorge, defending, said his client was keen to “change his ways”. He said: “He is a young man, who in my submission, needs help.”

Rayson also asked for eight other crimes to be taken into consideration – four thefts, three burglaries, and a taking of a car without the owner’s consent.

The court also heard Rayson was last year sentenced to eight weeks in prison for battery and criminal damage.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat, sentencing, said: “This was an extraordinarily mean and frightening burglary of your next door neighbours.”