A BUNGLING burglar made it easy for police to link him to the scene of the crime after he broke into a north Hampshire manor house and bagged more than £5,000 worth of luxury items.

Gary Spencer was not wearing gloves during the raid on Nutley Manor, a Georgian mansion set in 856-acres of grounds near Preston Candover, and investigating officers found his fingerprints.

Winchester Crown Court heard how the prints led to the arrest of the 33-year-old, from Colne Court, Millbrook, Southampton, who has more than 27 past convictions – many for dishonesty.

Spencer pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and was jailed for 32 months, minus 38 days spent on remand.

Passing sentence, Judge Guy Boney said: “At the age of 33, you have in anyone’s view a bad record.”

Edward Phillips, prosecuting, told how in February 2008, Spencer had scaled a locked gate and then shimmied up a porch pillar before entering through a window. Once inside, he helped himself to expensive goods, including jewellery and silver candlesticks.

An alarm was triggered – but Spencer had fled by the time the police arrived. The property was not occupied at the time of the break-in.

Megan Topliss, defending, said her client was not acting alone. She added that despite Spencer’s lengthy list of convictions, his dishonesty offences had dropped off after 2006. She said: “He fell into temptation this time.”