A BLIND grandma was sleeping downstairs as a crook broke into a home and caused thousands of pounds damage.

John Wiltshire has been jailed after rampaging around Southend and breaking into a home after becoming stranded without a train ticket on March 10.

The 30-year-old, of no fixed address, was drinking during the day, but then his friend left him without a ticket, meaning he had no way to go home.

That night, he went to a Spar shop while drunk, and caused serious damage to one of the windows.

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Next, he went to the Texaco garage on Southchurch Boulevard and hurled a bunch of kindling against the windows causing damage, while a member of staff looked on in horror.

He then kicked over a golf vehicle near the garage which caused £1,500 of damage before breaking into a family’s home.

At Wiltshire’s sentencing at Basildon Crown Court, Recorder Claire Davies said: “You entered the home of a woman while she and her family were asleep.

“She heard a banging and she saw you in the hallway downstairs.

“Her blind and elderly mother was asleep downstairs. She shouted at you leave.

“That you did and caused damage to the lock and they secured further safety equipment worth £2,400.

“I have read the victim impact statement from her, she is struggling to sleep and the children are scared at home.

“There was further distress concerning her mother’s safety.”

Recorder Davies said that Wiltshire had a host of previous convictions for 51 offences in his lifetime, including recent offences of criminal damage last year.

She said that it was “not justified” that Wiltshire went on a rampage after becoming stranded.

She added: “There are several aggravating features, it was committed at night time, there were children present, and a disabled grandmother at home.

“The only real mitigation is your guilty plea. As a result of the offences you have been injured, but that holds no water, it was your own fault. I see you nodding at the back of the court.”

Wiltshire was jailed for 12 months for burglary and three counts of criminal damage.