A serial burglar entered a Douglas house while the owners were sleeping and stole several items, a court has heard.

John Alan Johnson fled through the back door after being disturbed by a woman who got up.

The 45-year-old stole cash, medicinal cannabis, car keys and an Amazon Fire Stick.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, as well as possessing 10.4 grams of cannabis, and will be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on January 5.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that a couple were asleep at their home at Stevenson Court in Douglas on November 23.

The woman got up to go to the toilet and said that she heard a sound in the living room.

She saw a dark figure and shouted to them, then saw the back door was open and a number of items were out of place.

She woke her partner and they checked the house.

They said that three bottles of alcohol had been moved and a draw containing medicinal cannabis had been disturbed.

The male occupant went outside and found their X-Box on the grass.

The woman said that £30 to £40 was missing from her purse, her car keys were gone, and the car had been rummaged through.

A tub of medicinal cannabis had also been taken and three other tubs were now empty.

Doorbell camera footage from the area was checked by police and showed Johnson trying door handles at around 4.20am.

Police went to his home, at James Street in Douglas, and when they arrived they saw him throw a container out of a window.

This was identified as being the same as the cannabis container which was stolen during the burglary.

Johnson also had the Amazon Fire Stick on him, and a search of the property found 10.6 grams of cannabis, valued by police at £222.

After being arrested and taken to police headquarters, the defendant answered ‘no comment’ during a police interview.

In June 2021, Johnson was jailed for 26 months for burglary, and in 2016 he was jailed for seven and a half years after burgling three Douglas homes and stealing goods worth over £2,000.

Prosecutor Ms Carroon submitted that the latest burglary should be committed to the higher court for sentencing.

We previously reported Johnson’s latest arrest on November 27, and that police were asking the public to check their vehicles, any out buildings or premises that may have also been left insecure overnight from Wednesday November 22 into the early hours of Thursday November 23 to see if anything has been disturbed or is missing.

Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said the latest offence was on the cusp of the summary court’s sentencing powers, but should remain in the lower court, bearing in mind the guilty pleas, the low value of the items taken, and the fact that some had been recovered.

However, Acting Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes declined summary court jurisdiction, saying that she had taken into account the defendant’s previous convictions, and the fact that he had entered an occupied home while the owners were sleeping.

A probation report will be prepared before sentencing.

No bail application was made and Johnson is remanded at the Isle of Man Prison.