AN Orford man who broke into his neighbour’s home through a boarded-up glass window and left blood stains through the house has been spared jail.

Declan Litherland was found in the kitchen of his neighbour’s home having broken in through the bathroom window of the ground floor flat.

Prosecuting, Joanne Moore said the incident took place last year on January 18.

She said: “There was a window to the bathroom which was boarded up. At 7am, he came through the boarded-up window, and he cut himself on the way through.”

The 20-year-old left blood stains all over the bathroom where he had bled out from his injuries.

“Once in the property,” Ms Moore continued, “He then made his way to the kitchen where someone found him. The man who found him immediately recognised the defendant.”

The courts heard how Litherland dropped to the floor and curled up in a ball when the homeowner asked why he was in the house, before standing back up and fleeing the flat through the front door.

Police were alerted to the incident and officers located Litherland shortly after and arrested him.

It was later revealed that the offender was under the influence of Valium at the time of the incident.

Ms Moore highlighted the defendant’s previous convictions which included some ‘serious’ robbery convictions dating back to 2020.

Defending, Mr Griffin said his client lives with his grandmother on Windemere Avenue and that he and his neighbour spent time with each other in each other’s homes.

Concluding, Recorder O’Brien described the offence as ‘terrifying’ and highlighted aggravating features of the case being that he was on drugs and that the break in took place at night.

Litherland was handed a five-month detention sentence that was suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to do 80-hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days.