A MAN from Cardigan has been jailed after repeatedly entering a house in Tenby early in the morning to steal bottles of beer, while the female occupant slept upstairs.

Mark Brook, 31, of Brynheulwen in Blaenannerch, was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after admitting burglary as a trespasser with intent to steal.

The court heard that Brook, a serial offender with 17 previous convictions for 27 offences, was caught on CCTV entering the house on Lower Frog Street on three separate occasions between 6:00am and 7:30am on April 21, 2023.

After the victim’s husband left for work shortly after 6:00am, Brook was seen walking past the property. Minutes later, he returned and was filmed trying a neighbour’s door before entering the house and emerging with a beer.

He came back again shortly before 7:00am, this time trying to open the bottle with his teeth. He entered the house a third time not long afterwards.

The victim, who remained in bed unaware of the break-in, later told police she felt “terrified” and “vulnerable” when she realised someone had been in the property while she slept.

Brook was arrested in Cardigan in July and had earlier pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

His solicitor said a psychiatric report linked his offending to substance misuse and alcohol dependency.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Brook that the real harm was not the value of what was stolen, but the distress caused to the homeowner.

He added: “The sentence I’m about to pass will hopefully give you an opportunity to get clean from those substances.”

Brook was sent to prison immediately.