A legal high and an empty wallet led to a prison sentence for a Pennar man, who climbed through a window left open for a cat and stole nearly £300 of items.

Ry Robert Williams, of Old School Court, pleaded guilty to burglary when he appeared from custody at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Monday, June 4.

The court heard that Williams entered a ground floor Milford Haven dwelling through a window left open for the home-owner’s cat on May 29.

The resident returned to find his tablet and two mobile phones, worth a total of £297, had been stolen.

Williams’ fingerprints were found at the scene, and he was found to be carrying one of the mobile phones when arrested. He fully admitted the offence when interviewed.

The bench heard that Williams, 26, had previous convictions for theft offences, and had recently served a prison term for stealing a charity box.

Mike Kelleher, defending, said Williams was released from prison about a month before the offence, and had not received any benefits because his claim had not been processed, but had been ‘trying to keep out of trouble’.

“On this occasion he had been staying with a friend, who thought he was cheering him up by giving him a legal high.”

Williams spotted the open window while wondering around an area which housed a number of elderly residents in the early hours of the morning.

“Because of the drug he had lost certain inhabitations. He was desperate, and took something that could be easily converted into cash.”

Mr Kelleher added that Williams had been unable to get the tablet to work and gave it to a friend after he failed to switch it on.

“He walked in and walked out. He did not ransack the property. There was no-body there.”

The court heard that Williams cooperated fully with the police and informed them who had the tablet. He said he had empathy for his victim as he had been burgled himself, and apologised.

The bench was told that Williams was still on licence at the time of the offence after being released from prison on May 3.

Magistrates sentenced Williams to four months in prison and ordered him to pay £264 compensation, a £115 surcharge and £85 court costs.