A BURGLAR who cut his hand breaking into a home left bloodied rags nearby — leading the police straight to his door.

Drug addict David Foster was yesterday jailed for three years under a “three strikes and you're out” rule after a court heard he had struck before.

Foster, aged 29, of York Avenue, Shakerley, Tyldesley, broke into the house in Caldwell Close, Astley, on May 15 while the male householder was away for the night.

The man returned to find that his home had been raided and a laptop, watch and cash had been taken.

But Foster had cut himself getting into the detached bungalow and used a sheet from the premises to wrap around his injured hand.

The blood-stained sheet was later found nearby by police and Foster’s DNA recovered, said Harry Pepper, prosecuting.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Foster had previous convictions for burglary. He pleaded guilty to burglary.

Jailing him, Judge David Aubrey, QC, said the occupier had come home to find his home had been broken into and Foster, or his accomplices, had gone into his children’s bedroom.

Drawers in his bedroom and living room had also been rummaged through.

“I anticipate that you have no empathy whatsoever for this particular householder or others,” said Judge Aubrey.

“It makes him feel sick that someone has been in his children’s bedroom, and angry and violated that someone has been in his house and stolen items he has worked hard to pay for.”

Michael Lea, defending, said drugs lay behind Foster’s offending behaviour but, for the first time in many years, he has been seeking assistance for his problem.