A convicted burglar was finally sent to prison, having run away from the courthouse before his original sentencing was scheduled.

Joseph Smith, aged 31, of Meadow End, Hampton, Evesham, was appearing at Gloucester Crown Court for the fourth time last Friday.

Smith had been convicted of burgling the home of Laura Warner at Tirley, Tewkesbury, and driving while disqualified in March.

He had gone to Ms Warner's cottage door in Tirley posing as a builder in search of work on September 1 last year.

Ms Warner realised when Smith left that her wallet was missing. He was later seen by a witness driving away in a van, while banned from doing so.

After he ran away on May 4 he was rearrested and remanded in custody to await Friday's pre-sentencing report.

Anne Vigars, defending, told the court on Friday that her client accepted the contents of the pre-sentence report but was "disappointed" by it.

"The language used in the report added up to a damning indictment of a person, whom the author had met for only an hour," she said.

She added that Smith willingly offered to take a urine test to prove he was clean of drugs.

He felt rejected by the system and was left with the feeling that his efforts were worth little, she said.

These were all reasons for his absconding, she added.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "I accept you have a very bad habit and are trying to do something about it.

"Your mother needs looking after. However, two drug treatment and testing assessments have shown yourself to be unsuitable for an alternative to prison."

Smith was given a 21-month sentence for burglary and driving while disqualified.