A bungling burglar who broke into homes while the householders slept upstairs has been jailed for two years.

Patryck Korczynski, formerly of Sittingbourne High Street, targeted two houses in the town overnight on January 7.

The 22-year-old was jailed for 23 months at Maidstone Crown Court after admitting two counts of burglary and one count of possessing cannabis.

He will serve an additional month for theft.

The court heard how, between 2.30am and 7am on January 8, Korczynski entered a home in Topaz Drive and stole a handheld games console, a children’s tablet computer, two sets of car keys and a small quantity of cash.

He carried out the burglary with the help of his housemate Anthony Hooper, who left a cigarette butt in the victim’s conservatory, which forensic evidence linked him to.

The same night, Korczynski burgled a home in Emerald Crescent, where he knocked over a kitchen chair, startling a pet cat, which ran upstairs and jumped on to the victim’s bed, waking him up.

He went downstairs and found a kitchen door open and a wallet had been taken from the kitchen counter.

Police were called and arrested the defendant a few days later. Shortly after being charged, he was arrested for having an outstanding European arrest warrant on his record.

He is wanted for outstanding theft, assault and burglary offences in Poland and he will be extradited once he has served his sentence in Britain.

Hooper, 43, of St Nicholas Road, Faversham, admitted one count of burglary and was jailed for three months, suspended for one-and-a-half years.

He also received a three-month curfew, monitored by a tag. He must stay at home between 9pm and 6am.

DC Iain Joyce said: “Upon being caught Korczynski tried to deceive officers by giving a false name, but thankfully they were able to see through his lies.

“This man has shown little remorse for burgling homes and was shameless enough to take toys belonging to children.

“I hope he spends his time in prison thinking about the impact his actions have had on his victims.”