A BUNGLING burglar nearly lost his arm after a botched attempt to open a tin of baked beans with a knife.

Khalen Doherty of Cobham Road, Kidderminster, appeared in court with his arm in a sling after he cut himself and developed blood poisoning.

The bizarre, drug-fuelled incident was unrelated to matters for which he was ultimately jailed at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

Charles Hamer, for Doherty, said: “After Christmas, under the influence of cannabis, he attempted to open a tin of baked beans with a knife rather than a tin opener. In so doing he cut his finger badly.

“He did nothing about it, left it for something like 10 days and got a very severe infection. He had septicaemia and has been in hospital where he has had more than one operation. Since then he potentially could have lost his arm.”

The 22-year-old admitted an attempted house burglary and a shed burglary when he appeared before his honour Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC.

He attempted to break into a house in Worcester Road, Kidderminster, on September 3 last year.

Doherty fled when disturbed by Reiss Dexter, who lived at the address, at about 4am.

Siobhan Collins, prosecuting, said: “He left the screwdriver still stuck in the door. Mr Dexter called police, the screwdriver was recovered and analysed and was found to be forensically linked to the defendant.”

Miss Collins said the victim had been affected greatly by what happened and has had to move back in with his family ‘due to paranoia and the fear he now experiences’.

Doherty also broke into a shed at Blake Brook, Kidderminster on September 7, stealing two bikes worth£1,800.

Police found a jacket and gloves nearby which again could be scientifically linked to the defendant.

Aggravating features to the attempted house burglary were that he had gone equipped, the homeowner was present and the offence were committed at night.

Doherty was due to be sentenced for both matters on December 15 last year but did not attend court.

He was brought into court on Friday on a bench warrant.

Miss Collins told the court Doherty had ‘a history of dishonesty’.

He received a 19 month prison sentence in a young offender's institution for burglary (dwelling), burglary non-dwelling, attempted burglary and theft. He was jailed on November 9, 2015 and released on May 20 last year after serving only six months.

Mr Hamer, defending, described Doherty as 'immature' and urged the judge to make allowance for the fact that it was an attempted burglary rather than a successful house burglary.

Mr Hamer also said Doherty was a heavy cannabis user and had smoked the drug since the age of 12.

Judge Pearce-Higgins, sentencing, said the victim of the attempted burglary had been 'significantly set back' by what happened but gave Doherty credit for his early guilty pleas.

He sentenced him to two years for the attempted house burglary, six months consecutive for the shed burglary and two months consecutive for the bail act offence, making a total of 32 months.