A burglar from Hounslow broke both his ankles when he plunged from the first floor window of a house after disturbing a sleeping resident, a court heard last week.

David Vince, 22, had climbed up and opened a bedroom window of the property in Mill Farm Avenue, Sunbury, and was perched on the windowsill not realising a lodger was in bed after a night shift.

The lodger woke up after the curtains were opened and shouted at startled Vince who leapt down from the first floor to escape.

He tried to flee but had broken both ankles and ended up trying to crawl away but was spotted by a neighbour who recognised him as a friend of a man who lived at the house.

It led to Vince, from Macdonald Court, Hounslow, appearing at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, August 17, where he pleaded guilty to attempted burglary.

But he escaped jail after a judge gave him a 51-week sentence suspended for two years and an 18-month supervision order.

Andrew Stephens, prosecuting, said Polish lodger Lukasz Wroblewski worked night shifts and was at home asleep when he heard two bangs and his window opening.

Mr Stephens said: "He immediately saw the defendant open the curtains and sit on the window sill."

Vince jumped to the ground and Mr Wroblewski threw an ornament at him.

The court heard that Vince had a long list of previous convictions including a burglary on a flat and had already spent time behind bars. He admitted trying to burgle the house 10 days previously but was not charged.

Laura Bailey, defending, said that Vince had never been given a supervision order before and custody obviously hadn't worked.

She said: "He said he can't remember much of the offence. He doesn't really know what was in his mind because he had drunk such a large amount of alcohol."

Recorder Paul Clements suspended sentence for two years and ordered an 18-month supervision requirement.