A man who admitted burgling a house in search of underwear has been jailed today.
Allan Bartlett, 39, from Newport, South Wales pleaded guilty to breaking into a house to satisfy his unusual fetish.
Bartlett, who is unemployed, will go to prison for two years and ten months for stealing items from the washing-machine and washing basket.
He burgled the home of Leon Spargo, who lives on his own, in Newport, on August 26 last year.
Spargo caught him red-handed and chased him away.
Bartlett ran away from the property, scattering Spargo’s underwear and other stolen clothing as he went.
Lawyer Ieuan Morris, who was prosecuting, said that Bartlett had a sexual fetish for stealing underwear.
After he entered the house at 5.30am, Bartlett searched the washing machine and basket.
He ran off when Spargo heard plates crashing to the floor and went downstairs to investigate.
Spargo chased Bartlett, who was also carrying a pair of jeans, but was forced to stop the chase after he slipped over.
Police visited Bartlett’s home where they found the stolen jeans, which were identified by Spargo.
They also found three plastic bags containing white powder that turned out to be amphetamine.
In Bartlett’s defence, Nigel Fryer said Bartlett had taken up education courses while in custody.
Judge Neil Bidder sentenced Bartlett to two years and 10 months’ imprisonment for the burglary and one month’s imprisonment for possession of amphetamine.
Bartlett, who has a number of previous burglary convictions, appeared via video link at Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing.
The sentences will be served concurrently.
