DRUNKEN burglar Ashley Bowen woke sleeping Roderick Lockhart as he tried to climb through his bedroom window in the early hours. Mr Lockhart saw a hand coming through his open window, he was shocked and shouted, Ely magistrates were told by prosecutor A

DRUNKEN burglar Ashley Bowen woke sleeping Roderick Lockhart as he tried to climb through his bedroom window in the early hours.

"Mr Lockhart saw a hand coming through his open window, he was shocked and shouted," Ely magistrates were told by prosecutor Angela Sassoli.

"The hand quickly disappeared, and he was aware of the man running away, he saw three males, one lost a trainer in the process."

Mr Lockhart had his ground floor bedroom window open because it was a warm night, and had heard the sound of foot steps on the gravel driveway before seeing 18-year-old Bowen.

A Mercedes car outside Mr Lockhart's Queen Adelaide home had been searched, and finger prints taken from the house window and the car matched those of the 18-year-old.

Bowen, formerly of Wheatsheaf Close, Ely, but now homeless, admitted burglary with intent to steal at Laburnum House on July 6; and interfering with the car, with intent to steal.

"He handed himself into police," added Mrs Sassoli. "He admitted going to the premises while very drunk, he was with someone else he would not name.

"He admitted opening the driver's door and searching the car, but there was nothing worth taking. He admitted going to the house, and seeing a man at the window, that prompted him to run away, and he lost a trainer.

"He said it was the alcohol to blame, and the fact that he was an idiot. He had been drinking all night, and had tried to go to a rave nearby. He knows his behaviour was unacceptable."

Solicitor Nick Barnes pointed out that Bowen had co-operated with the police, and handed himself in.

Sentencing was adjourned until September 11, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service.