A SOUTHAMPTON man, said by to be terrified at the prospect of going to prison, was locked up for 17 months after breaking into a ground-floor flat in the early hours and stealing a £500 Rolex watch, two credit cards, a mobile phone as well as £120 in change from a pair of trousers.

Prosecutor Mark Florida-James said James McCluskey, 43, then accompanied an accomplice to a cashpoint machine to withdraw money from the victim’s account. But that attempt and another the following day ended in failure.

McCluskey, of Winn Road, Southampton, admitted burglary and two counts of attempted fraud and was jailed for 17 months.

Defence lawyer Audrey Archer told the city crown court how he had been mixing drink with medication and the offences were opportunistic.