A woman householder was terrifyingly awoken by the sound of a burglar landing on her bedroom floor.

Intruder Ryan Dodgson had climbed in through a transom window and the startled occupant, 71-year-old Norma Gardner, discovered him lying on the floor with his hands over his head.

“She shouted to him to get out and she awoke her husband. The burglar climbed out of the main bedroom window leaving his bag behind,” said Chris Taylor, prosecuting.

Inside the bag police found his bank documentation and an electricity top up receipt and keys for a VW car which he had stolen in another burglary five days earlier.

Investigations led police to Dodgson’s home in Rocky Bank Road, Tranmere, and it was found that he had also carried out two other burglaries and attempt burglary, all on the Wirral.

28-year-old Dodgson, who pleaded guilty to three burglaries and a theft and had three other offences taken into consideration, was jailed for a total of 27 months.

Mr Taylor told Liverpool Crown Court that he broke into a house in Hesketh Avenue, Rock Ferry, overnight on the evening of October 3.

The occupants awoke in the morning and found he had gained entry through an insecure uvpc patio door.

The house keys and VW keys had been stolen along with other items including a Peppa Pig DVD and this was later found at a Cash Converters shop where Dodgson had sold it.

Overnight October 9 he broke into a house in Dunraven Road, West Kirby - again via an insecure uvpc patio door - and stole various property including £100 cash and electronic items.

He next struck at 1.45 am at Mrs Gardner’s bunglalow home in Westbourne Grove - just four minutes walk away from the other raid, said Mr Taylor.

When police went to his home the next day, realising he had left his bag behind at the Gardner’s home, he told officers that he had left it on a bus and it had been stolen. Some of the property stolen from Dunraven Road was found in his house along with pawnbroker’s receipts.

Mr Taylor said that the victim of the burglaries had all been left upset and feeling vulnerable following the break-ins.

The theft which he admitted involved stealing an £80 laptop from the counter Cash Converters in Birkenhead while he was there weighing in stolen jewellery.

Gerald Pachter, defending, said that Dodgson, whose previous convictions including attempted robbery and theft, is “genuinely remorseful.”

The defendant, who has a personality disorder, ADHD and drink and drug issues, said he had not targeted occupied properties and when Mrs Gardner woke he immediately left through the window.

His mum had died and he found her body and he is the carer for his sick father. “He accepts the burglaries must have been extremely unpleasant and he looks back and hates himself for what he did and wishes to apologise.”

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said that Dodgson had committed the offences after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs and when he broke into properties there was “no telling” who might be inside.