A BURGLAR high on drugs smashed his way into a pub during the early hours of the morning while its heavily pregnant landlady was asleep upstairs.

Prolific offender Paul Jones, 41, told detectives he broke into the Open Hearth in Pontypool’s Griffithstown because he wanted a drink.

Prosecutor Lisa McCormick told Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant had 66 previous convictions for 178 offences, including burglary.

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She said Jones, of Taliesin, Cwmbran, cycled to the pub on June 27 2019 and broke in by smashing a window by kicking it through.

As he was climbing the stairs in the three storey building, he triggered the burglar alarm and fled.

Miss McCormick said the police were called and arrested Jones a short distance from the pub and he was found with heroin.

Blood left on the shattered window matched his DNA.

The prosecutor said: “He initially gave a no comment interview but later said he had smashed the window and climbed in with the intention of having a drink.”

Miss McCormick read out the victim impact statement of the pub landlady, Kirsty Smith, who said: “I was woken up. I was heavily pregnant at the time, I was eight months pregnant. This was a very stressful and traumatic experience.”

The court was told she said was relieved she did not come face-to-face with Jones and was relieved her partner was with her at the time of the break-in.

Jones pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and possession of heroin.

He also asked for six theft offences to be taken into consideration.

The court heard how Jones had recently served a 12-month prison sentence for burglary.

Paul Hewitt, mitigating, said: “The defendant didn’t know there were people upstairs.”

His barrister added that his client had suffered drug problems in his past.

The judge, Recorder Duncan Bould, told Jones: “You broke in when the landlady and her partner were asleep. It is fortunate they were not confronted by you. You were under the influence of drugs at the time.

“Your best mitigation is that you entered guilty pleas at an early stage.”

The defendant was jailed for eight months and ordered to pay a £140 surcharge.