A "STONED" burglar who smashed his way into a house before stealing valuables from the owner ,who had died months earlier, has been jailed.

Jamie Dyas, 24, broke into the property in Trevethin and took four watches, two mobile phones, a Sony Discman and some alcohol, a court heard.

The drug addict was had taken cannabis and intended to take as many items as he could to get more drugs, Newport Crown Court heard.

But "concerned" neighbours reported the break-in and police caught him "red-handed" outside the house in Winstone Road, the court was told.

The owner's daughter, Joanne Leek, later identified stolen valuables which had been left in a holdall on top of rubbish bags at the back of the property, said prosecutor Jason Howells.

Dyas, of Ivy Dene Close, Trevethin, had already been sentenced for 40 offences before the night-time break-in.

He later told police he was "stoned" at the time and the court heard he had recently been released from prison.

Dyas at first denied having burgled the empty house on October 3, despite being caught with socks on his hands.

But he later pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.

The court heard Ms Leek's father had died in autumn 2014.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Leek said she would have been "scared" if she had lived at the house at the time.

Dyas' defence barrister, Marion Lewis, said her client's return to custody after the break-in had been "something of an epiphany" for him.

She said his addiction to drugs was at the root of the offence, adding he had first taken cannabis at the age of nine.

In mitigation, she said he had pleaded guilty to the burglary at the earliest opportunity and had shown "genuine remorse" for his actions.

Judge Daniel Williams said he had "smashed his way" into the house under the influence of drugs and tried to steal as much as he could to get more.

He sentenced him to 14 months in prison.

Dyas will have to serve half his term in custody before he can be released in the community and will have to pay a court charge.