A BURGLAR from Lifton targeted isolated country properties and stole Christmas presents from a car, a court heard.

David Stephens, aged 51, avoided going straight to jail for two burglaries and two thefts.

He had denied all four charges but was convicted by a jury after a trial in October last year.

Stephens returned to Plymouth Crown Court for sentence.

The court heard he had been on curfew for two years — regarded as the equivalent of a 12-month prison sentence. Handing him a suspended prison sentence, Recorder Simon Levene said Stephens had targeted rural properties in Lamerton and Gulworthy.

The judge said: ‘You stole Christmas presents from a car and that must have put a dampener on someone’s Christmas.’

Stephens was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He will remain under probation supervision and must complele a court monitored course to tackle and treat his drug habit.

Stephens must also stick to a curfew for another year.