A BASINGSTOKE burglar who admitted more than 20 offences has been jailed for three years and nine months at Winchester Crown Court.

Heroin addict Thomas O'Leary, 30, who was described by the prosecution as a "professional burglar" - although this was denied by his defence counsel - was said to have stolen property worth around £18,000 in the burglaries.

Sentencing him, the judge, Recorder Vasanti Selvaratnam QC, said: "Domestic burglary has always been, and will continue to be, regarded as a very serious offence, not just because of the property that is stolen but principally because of the distress and trauma which is usually caused to the victims."

O'Leary, of Queen Mary's Avenue, Oakridge, Basingstoke, appeared for sentence after admitting four offences of burglary, and he asked for 18 other offences to be taken into consideration.

Det Sgt Mark Bramah, from the Basingstoke burglary squad, said: "This should send out a message to people who choose to commit burglaries that the police will deal with them robustly.

"It must be clear to these people that custodial sentences are highly likely.

"Basingstoke CID will continue to target people who choose this way of life, and those people who choose to assist them by receiving stolen property."

Peter Glenser, prosecuting, described to the court how O'Leary got into people's homes while the occupants were asleep, sometimes gaining access by using a small open window to open a bigger window.

He then stole property including laptop computers and phones.

Property stolen in the burglaries with which he had been charged was worth about £5,000, and the property taken in the other burglaries he asked to be taken into consideration was worth £13,000.

O'Leary was said to have previous convictions and Mr Glenser said it was the Crown's case that he is a professional.

Paul Walker, defending, took issue with this description, saying professional burglars did not eat bananas and leave the remnants behind, as the prosecution had told the court O'Leary did on one occasion. They also usually contested, to the end, their wrongdoing.

The defence counsel said the explanation for O'Leary's offending was quite clearly his heroin addiction. He said the defendant felt genuine remorse.