A BURGLAR left bloody hand prints inside the flat he had targeted, a court heard.

Stephen Campbell, 39, who gave his address in court as Culvery Court, Swindon, pleaded guilty to burglary and stealing two bottles of Gordons gin from a Marks & Spencer store in Bath.

Prosecuting, Michelle Hewitt, said the occupants of the flat in Bath had returned home on Saturday, July 14, at around 6.30pm to find a door had been broken to allow Campbell to get into the building and that various items had been taken.

“The defendant was identified from palm prints in blood left on the banister,” Ms Hewitt added.

The flat’s occupants had found Campbell inside their building. They had just realised they had been burgled when Campbell returned to the flat, said he had the wrong address and apparently told his victims “it wasn’t me”. He then disappeared upstairs to a friend’s flat.

He made no comment to detectives’ questions when interviewed by police last Friday: "He gave a prepared statement, where he denied it."

However, at a hearing at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Saturday, Campbell admitted both the burglary and the booze thefts.

For the theft, Campbell was fined £100. Magistrates deemed it paid by time served in police custody.

Magistrates said their sentencing powers meant they were unable to deal with the house burglary charges. He was remanded in prison to appear before Swindon Crown Court on October 19.