A SERIAL burglar who was tracked down by police after traces of his blood were found at the crime scene, has been jailed.

Thomas Pancott, 31, of no fixed abode, appeared at Oxford Crown Court today after admitting a burglary in Stadhampton Road, Little Milton, in March this year.

Claire Tucker, prosecuting, said it was Pancott’s third conviction for burglary in seven years, meaning he faced immediate jail due to the Government’s three-strikes-and-you’re-out rule.

Ms Tucker said Pancott was spotted by a neighbour fleeing the scene.

She said: “Police arrived as the alarm had been activated and found the rear ground floor window had been smashed. Scenes of crime officers found blood on broken glass and it later transpired there was DNA which was the defendant’s.”

Pancott, who has 23 previous convictions for 44 offences since 1995, stole a portable DVD player that was never recovered, Ms Tucker added.

He admitted the burglary and asked for five other break-ins across south Oxfordshire to be taken into account during sentencing.

Lucy Tapper, defending, said heroin addict Pancott was at the end of a rehabilitation course, which would make him clean of drugs.

She added: “The vast majority of his offending is to feed his drug habit.”

Judge Mary-Jane Mowat jailed Pancott for two years and four months and ordered him to complete a residential drugs rehabilitation programme on release.