A careless burglar was caught out by DNA evidence linking him to a crime scene, a court heard. Steven Ricketts left blood at the address in Goodwin Avenue, Warley after breaking in and making off with hundreds of pounds worth of jewellery.

The 36-year-old, of Dimmingsdale Bank, Quinton, admitted burglary at Warley Magistrates Court yesterday and will be sentenced later this month.

Mrs Sarah Cooper, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: “On February 24 the complainant left her home at 7.45am. She returned at 7.40pm and discovered that the house had been broken into.

“She detailed that an upstairs window had been smashed costing £300 to replace and two panes of glass in rear and inner doors had been damaged.”

Mrs Cooper said the victim discovered jewellery worth £700 had been stolen from her bedroom – two pairs of gold earrings worth £200, two rings worth £400 and a gold necklace worth £100.

Mrs Cooper said: “She described it to the police and it was an unusual watch pendant which was a sentimental item as it had been bought for her as a present.”

The court heard police forensic officers recovered blood from the floor of the house.

Analysis of the blood found Ricketts was a DNA match. He was arrested and the necklace was found in his bedroom.

Mrs Cooper told magistrates the victim had made a statement saying that since the burglary she had been left “traumatised” and did not want to leave the house for fear of being burgled again.

Mrs Cooper added the victim “felt degraded and vulnerable by her personal property being rifled through”.

Mr Kevin Good, defending, said: “Having committed the offence he has gone as far as possible to mitigate his wrongdoing by pleading guilty at the earliest stage.”

He added that Ricketts, who wept as he was remanded in custody, was “very sorry”. Magistrates adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. He will be sentenced on March 19.

By Lisa Wright