A MAN who burgled a house in Worcester had been released from prison for murder three years ago, a court has heard.

Mark Bartholomew appeared before Worcester magistrates on Friday and admitted entering a property and stealing a digital camera. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

Bartholomew, along with another man, had broken into a flat in Barbourne Works, Barbourne, on Wednesday, April 16, but they were spotted by a neighbour who called police at about 9.15pm.

Prosecuting, Lesley Ashton told magistrates police carried out a search of the area and found them close to the scene. When searched, they found a digital camera worth £120 on them.

Bartholomew was arrested and Ms Ashton said he had co-operated fully with police and expressed remorse for what he had done.

But she added: "He is under a life licence for an offence of murder." The 46-year-old of Gamekeepers Drive, Brickfields, Worcester, had been released from jail three years previously after being convicted of murder in Shrewsbury Crown Court in the 1980s.

In mitigation, Mark Turnball asked magistrates to give him full credit for an early guilty plea and police had commented on how co-operative he had been.

"What Mr Bartholomew would like me to say is how much he regrets this offence and how ashamed he feels about it. He has been trying to stay out of trouble since his release three years ago," added Mr Turnball.

He said Bartholomew had been starting to get his life on track and had been working in Sainsbury's in Worcester and making friends.

"He knows he has to take full responsibility for his actions," he added.

Chair of the magistrates Deidre Drake said they appreciated it was a low- value item he stole.

Mrs Drake said: "We realise that since being released from prison you have tried to rehabilitate yourself, and bar this one offence, you have kept out of the court system."

However she said aggravating factors were that he was on a life licence and he entered the house with someone else.

Bartholomew told them: "I am totally ashamed of what I have done."

Mrs Drake added: "We hope this is the last time you are in prison."