Burglar Alexander Sinclair fell asleep in car outside house

A burglar who fell asleep in a car parked on the drive of the house he had just broken into has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence.

Police found Alexander Sinclair, 30, of Bristol, in the driver's seat after the owner of the house in Cathays, Cardiff, reported the incident.

Sinclair admitted burglary at Cardiff Crown Court.

Byron Broadstock, defending, said his client was drowsy after mixing alcohol with his depression medication.

John Warren, prosecuting, said the householder woke up and found his front door open and car keys missing.

He said: "He went outside expecting the car to be missing but instead found Sinclair sleeping in the driver's seat."

Sinclair was still asleep when the police arrived at 06:00 GMT and banged in the car window.

The court heard Sinclair had claimed he had been drinking in Cardiff and was on his way to catch a train home.

He told police he had gone into the car because it was somewhere dry to rest when it began to rain, the court was told.

Judge Eleri Rees told him: "Going into someone's home had a profound psychological effect on the victim."

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