A man who burgled a house while the owners slept has been jailed for four years.

Bartholomew Cronin went into the house at about 2am through an open window and searched the entire house before he was seen coming out of a bedroom where two children were sleeping.

Cronin barged past a male victim and made his way downstairs and back out of the window.

As he was leaving the victim hit him with a towel, knocking a rolled up cigarette out of Cronin’s mouth.

Cronin got away with house keys, vehicle keys, jewellery and a laptop.

CCTV footage and DNA evidence from the cigarette linked Cronin to the scene and he was arrested on October 5 when he made a full admission. A further seven burglaries were taken into account.

Detective Constable Tom Hunt said: “This was a particularly nasty burglary as Cronin was disturbed inside the victim’s home at night coming out of a bedroom that was occupied by two small children. “I hope this serves as a message that burglary won’t be tolerated in our county.”

Cromin, 37, of Lincoln Road, Peterborough was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court after pleading guilty to the burglary that took place on September 24.