A burglar was caught red-handed after he dropped his mobile phone at the scene of a break-in, leading police to discover he was also involved in cannabis supply, a court heard.

Marc Stevens 35, dropped his phone when he climbed over a gate to burgle a property in Gorleston, Norwich Crown Court was told.

Robert Meikle, prosecuting, said: "The defendant dropped his mobile phone when climbing over a gate."

He said when officers investigating the burglary checked the phone belonging to Stevens they also found the messages involving the offer of supply of cannabis.

He said that Stevens was arrested and admitted taking part in the burglary with two others. Stevens claimed he had only wanted to steal some bikes at the property and had nothing to do with other items taken in the break-in.

Stevens of New College Close, Gorleston, admitted burglary and being concerned in the offer to supply cannabis in May 2019.

The court heard that since the burglary offence he was trying to turn his life around and was now acting as a full-time carer for his father.

Stevens told the court: "I am genuinely sorry. I will never go back to that life again. I got myself involved in something I should not have done."

Judge Andrew Shaw told him: "Your mobile phone was recovered at the scene of a burglary."

However he said that he was giving him a last chance and imposed a three year community order with 200 hours unpaid work.

He warned Stevens: "This is going to be the last chance you get from a court."

He said that he had come close to going straight to prison and said that if there were any breaches of the order he would come back before him.

Danielle O'Donovan, for Stevens, said: "He was not looking to burgle. He was looking to steal some pushbikes."

She said much in his life had changed since the offence back in 2019 as there had been a delay in the case coming to court.

She said he was wanting to take help offered to him to stop any future offending.