A drug-dealing burglar who smashed his way into a house with a spade has been jailed for five-and-a-half-years.

Darren Robertshaw, 33, of Cavendish Place, Eastbourne, was still in the property when the owners returned with their small son.

Judge Cedric Joseph, on sentencing, said: "This is a domestic burglary where the householder returned and found you on his premises accompanied by his small son. It must have been a pretty frightening experience for him and his fiance and particularly for the small boy."

Hove Crown Court heard yesterday Robertshaw smashed a window with the spade to get in and fled when disturbed by the family. But he dropped a bag containing a Sony PlayStation, about 40 games and a jewellery box.

The spade was later found to have traces of Robertshaw's blood and police were able to match it to DNA on their database.

The defendant was sentenced yesterday after admitting five charges of supplying a class A drug and two of burglary.

Both burglaries were carried out in Eastbourne in May and July this year.

Robertshaw was also caught selling drugs between March 25 and April 9 during an undercover police operation.

The defendant, who received four-and-a-half-years for the drugs offences and 12 months for burglary, will serve an extra 400 days because he committed the offences while on licence from a previous burglary.