A Betws drug addict has been jailed for six months after he admitted burgling an Ammanford property while the family slept upstairs.

Michael Rhodri John Williams, aged 26, ran from the house after waking Samuel Davies, but was later traced by police.

Williams, who gave his address in court as 15 Treforis but at the time of the offence was living at a property in Glan yr Afon, Ammanford, entered 6 Myddynfych during the early hours of May 24 through an unlocked door.

Mr Davies, who was in bed with his wife at the time of the raid, was woken at 2.10am by noises coming from downstairs.

“He initially thought it must be cats,” prosecutor Andrew Smith told Llanelli magistrates court.

“He went downstairs and saw an unknown male in the property.”

Mr Davies shouted at the intruder, who ran out of the property and got away.

However, thanks to the description Mr Davies was able to give to police, officers were able to identify Williams.

Checks of the Davies’ home showed Williams had stolen a wallet containing £6 and bank cards.

In the following days, police traced Williams, who appeared at court via video-link from Swansea prison, to the Glan yr Afon address.

He told them that he had disposed of the wallet, but kept the bank cards in his fridge.

“He said that he had been drinking and taking drugs and that he burgles houses and takes money and jewellery to sell for drugs,” Mr Smith told the court.

Williams used to take “a gram of heroin a day” but was now on a methadone programme.

Williams, the court heard, had 24 previous convictions, including three for burglary.

Kate Williams, defending, said Williams was sorry for his actions and was trying to overcome his drug addiction.

District Judge David Parsons, sitting with magistrates, told Williams: “This was a burglary of someone’s home and that will always be a very serious offence.

“This is a matter where custody is the only possible outcome.

“People have the right to go to bed and not expect to have someone creeping around their home while they sleep.

“That is an extremely frightening situation for people to find themselves in and this family were understandably upset.”

Williams was jailed for six months and ordered to pay a £180 court charge and £80 victim surcharge upon his release.