A bungling crook who left his phone at a crime scene has been spared an immediate jail sentence, despite carrying out a burglary just days after coming out of prison.

Levi Bird, 26, woke the occupants of a house as he carried out a late-night raid on a shed in Tiptree.

He fled when challenged, but left behind his mobile phone which was recovered by police, a court heard.

Bird, of New Road, Tiptree, admitted the January 10 attempt. He also admitted stealing a mountain bike from Age Concern the same day, as well as two thefts from cars and a burglary last year.

The court heard Bird carried out the latest offences just days after being released from prison.

He asked for five other thefts and attempted thefts to be taken into consideration.

Bird had been a drug addict since he was young, but had now kicked the habit and was turning his life around, said Anna Perera, mitigating.

The court heard he was responding well to a special police-run programme for persistent offenders.

Colchester magistrates told Bird: "You have numerous previous offences - you are a persistent offender.

"You started to offend immediately when you were released from prison, and at least one of those offences was committed in the middle of the night."

Bird was given a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation. He was also electronically tagged for a month-long curfew.

Magistrates told him: "This is your last chance."