A BURGLAR has been jailed after attempting to break in and steal items from a building where six vulnerable adults were living.

Andrew Guiney, 35, was jailed for two years after a hearing at Reading Crown Court on Monday (August 14) after pleading guilty to one count of burglary of a dwelling and two counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Guiney, who admitted he was on Class A drugs and drinking alcohol at the time, carried out the burglary and thefts on March 8 this year.

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After breaking into the two cars, he broke into a window of a property on Stanley Road, Newbury, where vulnerable adults live.

He broke into Sandra Pearson’s room, who challenged Guiney twice, and has been left with mental health issues following the incident.

Judge Hassan Khan jailed Guiney, of Northway, Newbury, for two years but expressed concerns about whether the prison sentence would help him.

The court heard that Guiney first broke into a Vauxhall Sierra and stole a box of cigarettes before breaking into a BMW and stealing a pair of sunglasses, a torch and a key.

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Guiney then attempted to enter the Stanley Road property but Ms Pearson challenged him when he put his arm through the window.

Despite this, Guiney attempted again when Ms Pearson had left the room. She returned and found him inside her bedroom and started screaming for help.

She grabbed his arm in an attempt to detain him and sustained cuts to her fingers and elbows.

A carer, who was working in the building at the time, heard Ms Pearson yelling: “Get out burglar.”

Police were quickly called and Guiney was found crouching behind a parked car. Inside the building, he had dropped the torch which was previously stolen from the BMW which was forensically analysed and DNA found matched the defendant.

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The court heard Guiney has 63 convictions for 104 offences.

His defence barrister stated he had been addicted to Class A drugs at the time of the incident and claimed the burglary was ‘opportunistic’ as opposed to a ‘targeted attack’.

He also stated Guiney is ‘remorseful and regretful’ for what he did.

Sentencing, Judge Khan said: “You’ve got an appalling record of previous convictions.

“This is far too serious for a suspended sentence. There is also little if no prospect of rehabilitation due to your previous offending.

“Sadly, I have no idea if this is going to have any impact on you.”