A BURGLAR who stole underwear from his female victim and left a pair of pants on a fence as he escaped has been jailed.

Connor Greenslade, 19, of Griffin Park Court, Porthcawl, appeared in Newport Crown Court on Friday charged with two counts of burglary. He had previously appeared at Newport Magistrate's Court where he pleaded guilty.

Recorder Malcolm Bishop heard Greenslade burgled his victim’s house, in Pantside, Newbridge, on two occasions and attempted to burgle it on a third occasion.

The court heard that on January 11 the victim had secured her property and left to stay with a friend.

But when she returned on the January 12, a window had been smashed. She found items missing, including scented candles and underwear. She told police her bedroom had been searched and it looked as though someone had spent the night there, the court heard.

Police investigated and found fingerprints matching Greenslade. The second burglary took place on March 8, when the woman received a call telling her house had been broken into. She returned to find the same window smashed, underwear missing, muddy footprints leading to her bedroom and an underwear cupboard damaged. The court heard a neighbour had seen Greenslade leaving and recognised him, shouting : “Connor, I’m going to call the police”, but the defendant climbed over a fence and ran off, leaving a ladies’ underwear on the fence.

The recorder heard about an attempted burglary at the house on February 2, when he threw rock through the window, before the alarm went off and he ran.

The court heard after the incident on March 8, Greenslade called police and handed himself in.

In interview he told them he had been under the influence of alcohol and mephedrone but when he had ‘come down’ he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

The victim’s impact statement said she felt there was ‘something sinister’ about the stealing of underwear.

The recorder told Greenslade: “As a result of what you did your victim has suffered more than is ordinary.” Greenslade was sentenced to one year in prison and handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim or attending her place of work.