A BURGLARY victim escorted an intruder from his home after he was unable to find the way out of the building.

Sean Davey woke up to find Joseph Horgan in his bedroom and challenged him.

As the stranger turned to leave, Mr Davey spotted his wallet sticking out of his back pocket and grabbed it.

Horgan then tried to leave the building - which is divided into four flats - but had to be shown out.

Prosecutor Carl Anderson told Southampton Crown Court the victim then discovered a torch, mobile phone and Ipod among other things were missing.

Days later, Horgan left the torch behind when he got in through a window to burgle the home of Andrew Felder of a plastic bottle containing loose change, a wallet containing credit cards and other personal items, and a pair of sunglasses.

Fingerprints His fingerprints were found in both premises and some of Mr Felder's property was discovered in an adjacent alleyway where an attempt had been made to burn them.

Horgan, 26, of Little Lances Hill, Bitterne, admitted two burglaries and asked for a similar matter as well as one charge of theft involving £300 in cash and a cash card to be considered.

Said to have 13 previous convictions encompassing 44 offences, Horgan was jailed for 30 months.

Megan Toplis, defending, told the court how Horgan's four-year relationship had foundered and led him to resorting back to drugs and alcohol to cope.

"There was a downward spiral, he effectively became homeless and committed these offences."

Judge Derwin Hope told Horgan that burglary victims often suffered enormous shock and distress.