A BURGLAR who smashed his way into a home using a rock – leaving his DNA behind in the process – has been jailed.

In spite of the prison sentence handed to him, prolific thief Damien Corbett will not spend any more time behind bars because he is already serving lengthy sentences for other break-ins.

The 38-year-old of HMP Bullingdon was set to stand trial yesterday facing one count of burglary.

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But, after a change of heart, Corbett instead pleaded guilty to the offence and he was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Tom Cockcroft said the burglary took place between October 3 and 6, 2018, at a house on May Tree Close, Bicester.

The homeowner, who lived alone at the property, had left the house to visit her family and had locked her home before she left.

When she returned on October 6 she discovered that a rear patio door window had been smashed and a number of items were missing.

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In all, cash had been stolen to the value of £40 and two gold rings taken which were valued at £100 and £200.

A small gold pendant on a gold chain to the value of £200 was also snatched.

A rock was discovered near to the window which on investigation was found to have Corbett’s DNA on it.

The court heard yesterday that following this burglary Corbett was sentenced for two other break-ins.

For those separate burglaries he was jailed for one year and a further three years.

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In mitigation, his defence barrister Emma Scott said that her client was committed to completing programmes available in prison as well as courses ahead of his eventual release.

She added that he has already served more than a year in prison.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle QC said Corbett had a ‘prolific record for burglaries’ but the jail term he would pass had to be concurrent to his existing sentence.

He said: “Back in October 2018 you committed this burglary, you gained entry by using a rock and that rock had your DNA on it.

“I don’t need to tell you that, at the age of 38, you can either spend the rest of your life going in and out of prison or you can be positive about trying to break this pattern in your life.”

Corbett was jailed for two years for the burglary, which will run concurrent to his existing jail term of one year as well as three years.

He must also pay a statutory victim surcharge.