A THIRD-STRIKE burglar who crept into a family’s home as they slept upstairs to steal a mobile phone and cash is starting a long prison sentence.

A judge slammed Gethin Jones, 34, of no fixed abode, Bargoed, for his “really bad record” before jailing him at Cardiff Crown Court.

Prosecutor Clare Pickthall said the defendant sneaked into the house in New Tredegar last September.

A couple had left their door unlocked as they were expecting their son home in the early hours of the morning.

MORE NEWS:

Jones also admitted handling stolen goods in the form of mobile phones after a truck was broken into in Rhymney.

After he was released by police under investigation, the defendant broke into a garage at a home in Caerphilly a month later.

Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and handling stolen goods.

Ms Pickthall said the defendant had 23 previous convictions for 40 offences, dating back 20 years, including violence, dishonesty and burglary.

Andrew Davies, mitigating, asked the court to take into his account his client’s guilty pleas.

He said: “At the time of the offences, the defendant was in thrall to drugs and he has been since his teenage years when he and his partner had a stillborn child.

“He has been addicted to drugs ever since. He has spent a considerable part of his life in a prison setting and doesn’t want that to continue.”

Judge Nicola Jones told Jones: “You have a really bad record. You multiple convictions for burglary. You are a three-striker.”

She jailed him for 932 days and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge upon his release from prison.”