Doped up with booze and Valium, a Margate man committed a domestic burglary, but later could remember very little about it.

Carl Smith, 27, of Athlestan Road, appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court having admitted the break-in, and was jailed for two years.

James Bilsland, prosecuting, said the occupier of the property at Grosvenor Place, Margate was away on business when a neighbour was woken by a noise about 9.45am and looked out to see a man with a tattooed neck outside the house next door.

The witness went back to bed but then heard a loud bang and again looked out to see the same man walking down the road with a large TV on his shoulder

He called his neighbour and then called the police. A knife with Smith’s prints was found in a bedroom and he was arrested.

A large quantity of property had been stolen as well as the TV but nothing was recovered and the loss was about £3,300.

Catherine Donnolly, for Smith, said he had no recall of events as he had been drinking and had taken five Valium tablets which left him in a stupor.

The ending of a relationship sent him into a downward spiral, and when he was unable to cope he took to drugs and drink.

Ms Donnolly said a custodial sentence would impact on him and he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.