A MAN unable to work because of health problems was caught wheeling away the proceeds of a burglary.

But Jeris Ryan, 27, who has a long list of previous offences, walked free from court after a judge heard he was trying to break his drug habit.

Ryan, of Daniel Gooch House, Rodbourne, was seen pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with copper piping and water meters taken in an incident which caused more than £16,000 worth of damage.

As a result about 80 homes in the Rodbourne area lost their water supply until repairs were carried out.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, said Ryan was with another man when they broke into the former nursing home which is being developed into flats at Avenel Court, in Thomas Street.

She said they got into the secure building site by smashing a glass panel.

Once inside they took the copper piping, 22 water meters – many of which were already fitted – and electrical wiring.

“This defendant was seen in the early hours pushing a wheelbarrow: that was also taken from the scene,” she said.

“It was filled with items taken. The defendant’s blood was also found at the property where the window was smashed.”

When he was questioned by the police he denied that he had taken part in a burglary saying he had found the items in a skip.

The court was told that a certain amount of skill was needed to remove some of the items, including the water meters.

But as a result of them being taken there was a great deal of water damage to some of the flats which had almost been completed.

Miss Hingston said that as the mains water pipe had been damaged Thames Water had to be called out and running water was stopped to about 80 houses.

Ryan pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. The court heard he had 68 previous convictions including a number of burglaries and drugs offences.

Martin Wiggins, defending, said his client had pleaded guilty to what he had done at the first opportunity.

At the time of the offence he said he was in the grip of illegal drugs after relapsing from three and a half months of abstinence.

He said that all of his past offending has been drug related and it had tailed off in the past two years as he tried to tackle his problem.

Since the offence he said he had been engaging with drug treatment agencies on a voluntary basis and was on a methadone prescription.

“He is unable to work. He has chronic sciatica in his back and is looking for driving work as a forklift driver. He is currently on benefits,” Mr Wiggins told the court.

Passing sentence Recorder James Watson QC said: “I am cautious because of your previous convictions but it is fair to say there has been a change of pattern in the preceding two years.”

He imposed an 18-month community order with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.