AN opportunist burglar who broke into a house while the owner was half way through moving out has been ordered to pay £650 compensation.

Thomas Howard was seen on CCTV carrying away a 40 inch television from the building in Barrington Street, Tiverton, concealed in a black bin bag.

He was spared an immediate jail sentence after a judge was told how he has overcome a drug habit and is about to start work as a bricklayer's mate in Taunton.

Howard, aged 26, of Cheddon Road, Taunton, and formerly of Old School Close, Tiverton, admitted burglary and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years and ordered to pay £650 compensation by Recorder Jeremy Wright at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him:"You must understand that burglary, even in the way you carried it out when someone was moving house, causes considerable distress.

"The reason I am not imposing an immediate sentence is that there is clear evidence you are trying to wean yourself off drugs."

Adrian Chaplin, prosecuting, said a householder was moving out of a home in Barrington Street in August last year and had been coming and going all day.

When he returned at 8 pm a neighbour told him that windows at the back had been opened and a television removed.

Mr Chaplin said:"The householder went inside to find his 40 inch television had been removed from the wall and stolen along with a set of keys to the property. It was not recovered.

"Howard's finger marks were found on the window and CCTV showed three people hanging around the door and Thomas carrying the television on a black bin bag."

He was recognised from the footage and arrested but denied the raid until the case came to court.

David Campbell, defending, said Howard has a long history of petty crime linked to his drug problem.

He said he had treated it successfully after being made subject to a rehabilitation requirement last year.

He said:"At the time of this offence he had no fixed address but he now lives with his uncle, who is a bricklayer and has offered him work."