A BURGLAR who admitted breaking into Captain Stan's fish shop in Ryde in July has been jailed for a year, suspended for 18 months, by a crown court judge.

Brian Mitchell, 42, of Union Street, Ryde, admitted four charges of burglary and one of attempted burglary when he appeared via video link for sentence at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Monday).

Between July 24 and 25 this year, Mitchell not only broke into Captain Stan's but also burgled a cafe in George Street, Ryde, and attempted to burgle another cafe, also in George Street.

The fish shop closed following the break in.

The court heard he also broke into a home in the town and stole a computer tablet and cash.

At Captain Stan's, he used a crow bar to gain entry causing around £800 worth of damage.

Fish guts were spilled onto the floor and fridges had also been opened, with their contents thrown all over the property.

When the owners returned, the fish guts had gone rotten, said Helen Easterbrook, prosecuting.

At the house he burgled, the homeowner's 70-year-old, disabled father was present.

The court was told Mitchell had a total of 43 convictions for 77 previous offences.

For Mitchell, Russell Pyne admitted the offences were serious, committed by a man with a 'terrible record'.

He said Mitchell had been in the grip of a heroin addiction which he was now free of.

On the night of the offences, however, he had had a row with his brother, taken some Xanax and had committed all the offences within the space of a few hours.

He said Mitchell still used Xanax and crack cocaine but had been offered a placement in Gosport where he would be offered the chance to tackle his drug use.