A drug addict who burgled a neighbour's home four times over six days has been jailed by a judge.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how William Regan, of Oxford Road, Lowestoft, targeted a property in nearby Cambridge Road in the town four times in June 2020.

Adam Norris, prosecuting, told the court the Cambridge Road homeowner returned to the property around 10.30am on June 18, 2020, to find the kitchen window smashed.

An upstairs bedroom had been searched, and the homeowner discovered a backpack, digital camera and small change had been stolen.

Two days later, the homeowner was upstairs watching television when Regan entered through the same window, which was now boarded up, and was chased from the property.

On June 22, the homeowner returned to find another window broken and some art supplies missing, Mr Norris said.

The homeowner then decided to install CCTV and when he returned on June 24 to find a DVD player missing and a hammer which was not his, he checked the footage.

He showed the CCTV images to his neighbours, who recognised Regan.

The police were called and when Regan was arrested, he was caught in possession of 3.5g of heroin.

He admitted each burglary in police interview and said the heroin was for personal use.

Regan, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and possession of heroin before magistrates on August 13.

While on bail for those offences, Regan then targeted another different property in Cambridge Road on December 1.

The homeowner returned and found a laptop, wallet and bank cards were among several items missing.

The police and bank were notified, and it was discovered that one of the cards had been used to make a payment of £23 at McDonald's in Lowestoft.

A further payment for £9 was made at a convenience store, before an attempt was made to buy £41 of goods from a shop in Oxford Road but the card was declined.

Police viewed CCTV from the shop and Regan was identified.

The court heard that Regan committed the burglaries in order to steal goods which could be sold on to buy drugs.

Jude Durr, mitigating, said the last 10 years of his client's life had been "blighted by an addiction to heroin".

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced for two burglaries, three counts of fraud by false representation and one charge of possession of heroin, Regan asked for three other counts of burglary to be taken into consideration.

Judge Emma Peters jailed Regan for a total of three years and two months, and he will have to serve half his sentence in custody before being released on licence.