A bungling burglar who raided a house while a couple slept upstairs was snared after his DNA was found in the neighbour’s garden.

Christopher Shepherd, of Lindley Court in Lindley, raided a terraced house in Paddock before leaving a hammer in a neighbour’s garden, Leeds Crown Court heard. Police examined it and found his DNA on it.

The 42-year-old was also spotted on another neighbour’s CCTV running up and down a ginnel around the time of the offence.

The incident happened sometime between 11pm on October 16 last year and 7am the following day and he was arrested on November 10.

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Prosecutor Philip Adams told the court that while a woman and her partner were asleep, the defendant forced open a PVC window and gained entry before stealing a games console, a laptop, a wallet, car keys and a watch.

The total value of the items taken was £875, but £60 worth of damage was caused to the window lock and the woman had to pay £180 to have the locks changed, making a total loss of £1,115.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said that she does not feel safe in her own home, she struggles to sleep and her relationship has suffered since. She also said that the stolen laptop contained a library of work documentation.

Giles Bridges, for Shepherd, said that his client suffered from psychiatric problems, including anxiety. He also said that Shepherd was using his benefits to help his cousin, who he lived with, to pay off £5,000 worth of drug debt and was under pressure.

Shepherd, who has 28 previous convictions for offences including multiple burglaries and stealing from Topshop, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.

Judge Sally Cahill QC sentenced him to two years and four months’ imprisonment.