A burglar this week appeared before the High Bailiff after he reported himself to the police.

Jordan Declan John Caley stole a wallet containing £45, jeans, and prescription medication from his neighbour’s flat.

The 26-year-old will be sentenced on February 21 after a probation report has been completed.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Caley called emergency services and told them that he had entered his neighbour’s flat, at Woodbourne Square in Douglas where they both live, and taken a wallet, jeans and a belt, and the prescription drug Pregabalin.

He said he committed the burglary sometime between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Caley told police he wanted to ‘clean the slate and confess’.

He admitted that he had hidden the wallet in a vacuum cleaner at his flat and said he had felt bad about what he had done.

Police contacted the victim who told them that his flat had been burgled three times during that period, as he had lost his key and hadn’t been able to lock the door.

Mr Swain said that Caley’s burglary had taken place while his neighbour was asleep inside and that he had left when the victim had stirred.

The prosecutor said that the case had been brought, largely on the admissions of the defendant, but the £45 had not been recovered.

Mr Swain submitted that the case was suitable for summary court sentencing.

The court heard that Caley has no similar previous convictions.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor said: ‘This is a serious offence, but it only came about because of his own admission.

‘There’s no greater remorse than offering yourself up to the police in a matter they were probably never going to conclude.’

The advocate went on to say that his client did not have a very good recent record but supervision did not appear to have been tried.

Mr Taylor asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing and made an application for bail, saying that both parties had carried on living in the same building without incident since the offence.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes accepted summary court jurisdiction for sentencing but refused bail, saying that Caley had a poor history of complying with bail conditions.

He is remanded in custody.