A PROLIFIC thief who was caught by a trail of blood after a burglary in Colne has been given one last chance to mend his ways.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Michael David Dwyer, formerly of Nelson, but now living in Keighley, had broken into PJ’s Diner, in Burnley Road, when he was short of bus fare, taking £45 from the till and £75 from under the counter.

But the owner found a bloody tissue when he reopened the diner the following day, and a match was found with Dwyer’s DNA profile.

The court heard Dwyer had 151 convictions, dating back to 1994.

His barrister Nicholas Walker said his client, while on remand, had had a chance to reflect on his life, with the imminent arrival of his second child.

Dwyer had given police assistance in clearing up a number of unsolved crimes so he could make a fresh start, he added.

Dwyer, of Simpson Street, admitted burglary, handling stolen goods, and asked for 11 offences to be considered.

He was given a 12-month community order, including supervision and a three-month nightly curfew.