A boozy burglar left behind a vital clue after breaking into a house – an empty bottle of cider containing his DNA.

Stephen Ives had stolen the Magners cider from the garage of a home before burgling a neighbour next door.

But he discarded the bottle in the garden and police were able to identify him from his DNA found in saliva on it.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the occupants of a house in Cricketers Drive, Meopham, awoke on June 16 to find property missing.

Prosecutor Paul Valder said the intruder had entered by a side gate to gain access to the three-bedroom house through the back door.

Mobile phones, a wallet and electrical items including computers with a total value of £2,650 were stolen.

The cider bottle was found in the back garden. The next door neighbour checked the fridge in his garage and discovered one bottle was missing.

“Mr Ives’ DNA was found on the bottle which is how he came to be identified,” said Mr Valder.

“He was arrested at his home on July 20. None of the property has been recovered.”

Ives, of Valley Drive, Gravesend, has previous convictions for burglary, possessing cannabis and shoplifting. He had received alcohol treatment as part of one sentence.

John Fitzgerald, defending, said 28-year-old Ives’ DNA on the bottle placed him at the scene.

“He was under the influence of drink and drugs and was there with others,” he said. “He turned to drink and drugs because of emotional difficulties.”

Ives, who admitted two offences of burglary, was released from custody in November last year after a suspended sentence was activated.

“It was all going well,” said Mr Fitzgerald. “He had his own flat and had not been in trouble. He was together with his partner bringing up a child.

“It turned out it was not his baby and the relationship fell apart. He turned to substances. At the time he was on self-destruct.

“He was in debt to others more sophisticated than him. They were trying to steal a motorbike, going from garden to garden.

“He was asked to keep lookout and did so, sitting there with the bottle of Magners cider.”

“You have long-standing problems with drink and drugs which lead you into acquisitive crime" - Judge Philip Statman

Mr Fitzgerald said Ives had insight into the offence because his mother had been burgled and he realised how wrong and unpleasant it was.

“He played a subordinate role, if you accept he was the lookout,” he told Judge Philip Statman.

Jailing Ives for 16 months, the judge said an alcohol treatment programme had been tried before and it did not work.

“You have long-standing problems with drink and drugs which lead you into acquisitive crime,” he said.

“You had not long been released from a custodial sentence. On many previous occasions the courts have tried to assist you with substance and alcohol abuse. Sadly, the attempts haven’t succeeded.”