A man who started misusing drugs to try and come to terms with being a victim of burglary has been jailed for committing the offence himself.

Marc Stevens, 25, appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to an offence of burglary at a property in Filby, near Great Yarmouth, on October 26 last year.

Stevens, previously of HMP Norwich is currently at Blundeston Prison serving a 45 month sentence for drug offences for which he was sentenced in February.

Kevin Eastwick, prosecuting, said Stevens pleaded guilty in August to a count of burglary at a detached property in Filby which was occupied at the time by a female householder.

Mr Eastwick said the victim was still affected by the burglary.

Katherine Moore, mitigating, said Stevens, who had several convictions for dwelling burglaries, had pleaded guilty to the offence as he was 'anxious to clean the slate' on the basis it would be taken into consideration in relation to the drugs offence.

But the burglary offence had to be treated separately and Stevens was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment for the burglary to run consecutively to the drug offence, making a total of 66 months custody.

Recorder Christopher Morgan said Stevens, who had 'relaxed into drugs misuse as a coping strategy after your house was burgled', should know the 'trauma' it causes to people whose houses are burgled.