A BURGLAR was caught red-handed after he left blood stains at the crime scene of one of his raids.

An iPhone, laptop, crate of Stella Artois lager and a bicycle were among the haul stolen by Blaine Ross after he targeted homes on Newport’s Riverside.

Prosecutor Jason Howells said the defendant had gone equipped for burglary on the morning of Saturday, May 1 with a crowbar and bolt cutters.

Ross had fled the scene, Newport Crown Court heard, after one of the complainants had confronted him.

MORE NEWS

He was linked to the offences after detectives analysed blood stains he left behind containing his DNA.

Ross was well-known to the police and had 26 previous convictions for 58 offences, including two for burglary for which he was jailed.

The court heard he also had theft, drugs and weapons matters on his criminal record.

Mr Howells read out a victim statement one of the complainants made.

They said: “This has left me shocked and angry and made me much more security conscious.

“I have had to return from work to check my doors.

“I lost a work laptop which contained confidential personal information.

“This caused great inconvenience and needed to be replaced.”

Ross, 33, of Hoskins Street, Newport, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary.

Ben Waters, representing the defendant, said: “His best mitigation is his guilty pleas.”

He added that his client had been homeless and had “very little recollection” of the burglaries after he fell back into drug misuse.

Judge Catherine Richards told Ross: “You have a long history of dishonesty.

“These must have been planned burglaries. There was a spate of them.

“You went equipped, taking a crowbar and bolt cutters.”

She jailed him for 32 months and ordered that he pay a victim surcharge following his release from prison.

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the crowbar and bolt cutters.