A WOMAN left her window slightly open for her cats but her drunken nephew crept in instead, a court was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Darren Hey, 30, helped himself to his aunt's computer equipment, but was then "overcome," by the realisation of what he had done.

The defendant then rang his mother, confessed, and the property was returned to the victim.

Hey was spared a jail sentence, after a judge said the case was exceptional and unusual and he could take a different view of it.

Recorder Anthony Edwards said the defendant had immediately regretted what he had done and was showing a degree of reform.

Hey, of Lime Road, Haslingden, had earlier admitted two counts of theft and one of burglary and had been committed for sentence by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Magistrates.

He was given a community punishment and rehabilitation order of 100 hours punishment and 12 months rehabilitation.

Roger Baldwin, prosecuting, said the day after the burglary, Hey's father had taken the stolen property back to his sister.

Hey had been spotted leaving the property by a neighbour and he had been carrying a bin liner.

When the defendant was later arrested, he said he had been drunk and was going to sell the haul to buy more alcohol. He also stole chicken, lemonade and beer from two shops.

David Pickup, defending, said Hey realised he was in jeopardy of going to custody and that would not be novel to him.

He had gone to his aunt's house to carry out work but had succumbed to temptation.