A BURGLAR hung around the scene of his crime trying to pluck up the courage to return items he had stolen when he was spotted by his victims, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Jobless David Harrower walked into a house in St Denys where a door had been left open overnight for the householder to get in. On his return, he discovered a flat screen TV, clothing and other items were missing.

However, the following day, the victim’s son saw Harrower nearby and recognised the trainers he was wearing. He and his father confronted him and realised a jacket he had had also been taken during the burglary.

When arrested, Harrower was found with a small amount of cannabis and then confessed that he had carried another night-time burglary in Southampton to help a friend pay off a drug debt, said prosecutor Tim Moores.

Harrower, 35, of Bullar Road, Southampton, admitted two charges of burglary and one of drugs possession, and was jailed for 15 months.

Leah Dillon, mitigating, said Harrower had walked up and down the street trying to summon the courage to return the items because he was remorseful. The burglaries, she added, were his first offences in seven years.