A bungling burglar who faced humiliation when he was left dangling by his legs from the window of a house for an hour was branded "pathetic" by a judge.

Career criminal John Pearce pleaded for help with his chronic heroin addiction but he was jailed for three years after it was considered he was not a "good risk" for drug treatment.

The 32-year-old had only just been released on bail for other offences when he tried to break into the house in Fulwich Road, Dartford, of Paul Ives, 44, and Angela Gloyn, 32, on August 14.

Alex Wilson, prosecuting, said Pearce later described how he was walking past the home when he noticed a window slightly open.

He went to a nearby store and stole a hammer before knocking on the door to determine if anybody was in.

When it seemed the house was empty, he tried to climb through the window - but it closed on his foot and he was left hanging upside down. He smashed the window in an attempt to find something to support his weight.

"On being challenged, he said he had seen someone else trying to break in," Mr Wilson told Maidstone Crown Court. "He said he sought to apprehend that person and asked to be released.

"They declined to do that and called the emergency services. He was then arrested."

Pearce, of Browning Road, Dartford, admitted the burglary and asked for 12 similar offences to be considered. He also admitted possessing Class C drugs, two charges of assasulting police officers and shoplifting.

Refusing a plea for Pearce to go free under a drug treatment order, Judge Jeremy Carey said he qualified for a minimum three-year sentence.

He said of the burglary: "I described it as pathetic and indeed it was - dangling from a window as you attempted to get in. The victim would have found it very frightening."