A TRAIL of blood left around a house that had been burgled eventually led police to Leslie Molyneux, a court was told.

Molyneux had cut himself when smashing a glass panel in the back door of a house in Leigh and left spots of blood all over the property.

When the shocked home owner arrived back at his house he discovered that goods worth a total of £3,300 had been taken.

Yesterday Molyneux, aged 34, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, was jailed for 12 months at Bolton Crown Court for burglary. An assault charge against his former partner was left to lie on the file.

Prosecutor Geoff Whelan said that the house in Siddows Common in Leigh was broken into while the Bridge family were away.

Police took samples of blood and later matched it with Molyneux. When arrested he denied the offence.

He claimed he had attended a barbecue at the house next door and someone had thrown his hat onto a roof. He had gone to retrieve his hat and had cut his hand.

The court heard that Molyneux had 13 previous convictions for burglary on his record which began in 1977 when he was just 11. His last conviction was in 1995.

Sean Brogan, defending, said there was a history between Molyneux and the owners of the burgled house.

He added that Molyneux said he had broken the window but others had taken the property and that he had not gained financially.

Judge Bruce Macmillan said he took into account that Molyneux had been drunk and that he had not been involved in any trouble since 1995 but he would be failing in his public duty if he did not impose a custodial sentence.