BURGLARS who raided a woman's home splashed paint over her lounge suite in an "act of spite" - causing £5,000 worth of damage.

"It was wanton and cruel damage," said Judge David Wynn Morgan at Cardiff crown court.

Nicholas Garwood, 34, of Mill Heath, Bettws, was jailed for 12 months and Sonny Last, 35, of Bank Street - described in court as the getaway driver - for four months.

Both had admitted a charge of burglary. Wayne Wren, 23, of Russell Drive, Malpas, admitted a burglary charge at an earlier hearing but failed to appear for sentence and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The judge said Garwood - who formerly lived with mother-of-three Ceri Chapman, of Kier Hardie Crescent, Ringland - carried out the burglary as "an act of spite against her".

The attack was described by prosecutor Byron Broadstock as "callous, malicious and vindictive".

The judge told Garwood: "In drink you decided to go to the house, steal property and carry out the damage.

"That was a tidy house, looked after and cared for, the home to several people." He added the damage devastated the family. Mr Broadstock said on July 26 Miss Chapman went out for the night, leaving her children with a baby-sitter.

When she returned she could not turn her key because the lock had been dead locked and the police broke in.

Inside, the laundry basket was thrown into the bath, which was overflowing with water, and the bathroom cabinet was emptied into the bath.

Pipes were cut causing considerable water damage to the house and Miss Chapman's underwear had white spirit poured over it. Downstairs, water was poured into a £1,000 television and red paint was splattered over a £2,000 leather suite and other furniture.

A clock, three telephones, jewellery and clothing were also stolen. After their arrest, the trio denied being involved.

Claire Pickthall, defending gas fitter Garwood, said her client was "full of remorse" .

"It was all done in a few moments of drunken madness,"she said. "Stupidity. One of his problems is binge drinking,'' she said.