A burglar was confronted by an Isle of Wight woman, after she found him "rummaging" through her library for money in the middle of the night.

Kai Little, of no fixed abode and formerly of Hollies Close in Sway, Hampshire, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on February 23.

On January 8, he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and one count of being in possession of a knife.

By doing so, he breached a community order handed to him on August 11, for similar offences.

The court was told a woman heard noises in the library of her home in Cowes, at 1am on September 15, 2023.

She went to check and found Little, 26, in her library, rummaging through a book case.

She challenged him and he said he was looking for money, Tim Devlin, prosecuting, said.

It didn't look like anything had been taken, but a a rock was later found on the floor, next to a smashed window.

Mr Devlin said the next morning the woman saw a smashed window next door and contacted the neighbour, who was on the mainland but had left her property secure.

A search by police officers found Little in Cowes, cycling on Queen's Road.

He was searched and officers found letters addressed to the owner of the second home, as well as a knife in his shoe.

Defending, Jim Osborne, said Little's offending was down to a combination of mental health issues, drinking and not taking his medication.

He said his client deeply regrets any stress he has caused the two women. 

Mr Osborne said: "He is a different person now from when I first saw him in custody. His mental health has improved ten fold."

This week, Judge Advocate General Robert Hill described Little as a young man with a fairly significant number of previous convictions, 15 in total.

He had been given another chance when he was handed a community order last year, said Judge Hill, adding he had now "blown it".

Little was sentenced to two years and two months in prison.

Isle of Wight County Press: