A CONVICTED arsonist who burgled the west Belfast home of a woman while she was asleep was jailed yesterday for ten months.
Belfast Crown Court heard Tony Ferguson entered the property at South Link in the Andersonstown area just over two years ago.
The 28-year-old, of Glantane Drive in the Skegoneill area of north Belfast, pleaded guilty to a single charge of burgling the single storey one bedroom flat with intent to steal.
The court was told the female occupant was not aware Ferguson, who was under the influence of alcohol at the time, and another male had entered her home at 2.30am as she was on medication.
But Judge Patricia Smyth said a neighbour saw Ferguson in the hall of the woman's home going through her handbag. However, nothing was taken during the burglary.
When subsequently arrested, Ferguson denied at police interview burgling the flat.
The judge told Ferguson: "It is no surprise that your victim has been extremely frightened by this offence which took place in her home.
"Burglary of an occupied dwelling at night is a pariculary serious offence given your relevant record.''
The court heard Ferguson had three previous convictions for burglary and is currently serving a three year sentence imposed in December 2017 for an arson attack in west Belfast.
The court heard Ferguson had passed four drug tests in jail this year and was availing of prison courses in plastering, tiling and cooking.
Judge Smyth said: "You have shown some remorse and distress for what your victim was subjected to.''
Ferguson was handed a 20 month sentence, with ten months to be spent in custody followed by ten months on supervised licence on his release.