A BURGLAR was finally jailed yesterday for breaking into a house eight years ago.

Alan Fletcher, 47, still has a scar where he cut his hand breaking into a house in Northallerton in 1995, said his lawyer.

Scene of crime officers kept a piece of the bloodstained glass and he was finally charged with the offence last September, said Christopher Attwooll, prosecuting.

Fletcher's arrest followed advancement in DNA testing, Teesside Crown Court was told. Police took mouth swabs from him in April last year and scientists made the match with the blood from the scene in September and he pleaded guilty to burglary of the house in Thirsk Road, Northallerton, on December 15, 1995 and stealing Royal Dalton figurines and jewellery worth £3,542, none of which has been recovered.

Barry Robson, defending, said that Fletcher, of South Tyneside, who had been convicted since for shoplifting offences would benefit from a suspended prison sentence with probation supervision.

But Judge John Walford told him:"To do other than to pass a custodial sentence would be an affront to these victims and to all victims of burglary."

Fletcher was jailed for nine months.