A burglar who was jailed for three-and-a-half years after a raid on a Cwmbran woman's home yesterday saw his "manifestly excessive" sentence slashed by appeal judges.

But prolific offender Aaron Lee Nelson, 24, left the Court of Appeal with a flea in his ear from a senior judge, who warned him to end his thieving ways.

The thief, of Wye Court, Thornhill, Cwmbran, already had three burglaries to his name when he sneaked into a retired woman's home in the dead of night in July.

He got away with more than £300 worth of cash and other items, including a handbag.

But he left his fingerprints at the scene and, in August, was jailed after pleading guilty to burglary at Cardiff Crown Court.

He appealed and today, at the Court of Appeal in London, saw his "excessive" sentence slashed to two years and ten months by senior judges.

"Upon reflection, and although we thoroughly deplore the offence, conscious of the impact such offences have on their victims, some reduction is warranted," said Lord Justice Gross.

"Nelson should be under no illusion that, if he continues to commit burglaries, the sentences will go up and up.

"The question for him is how much of his life he wishes to spend in custody."

The court heard the victim had left a window unlocked when she went to bed to allow air to circulate.

When she got up, she found someone had been inside, searched drawers and stolen several items, including at least £280 cash, some euros, a tobacco tin and a handbag.

In her victim impact statement, she said the burglary had had a serious impact on her. She now felt more vulnerable living alone, she said.

Nelson had already committed three burglaries and 19 thefts and was on licence from a previous sentence when he burgled the Cwmbran home.

The total sentence is now two years and ten months.