A NEWLY-wed couple had their honeymoon video and the bride's engagement ring stolen in a £3,500 burglary at their Kidderminster home.

The intruder was traced, however, after his fingerprint was found on broken glass from the front door of the house in Chester Road South, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Electrician, James Lavelle, was arrested and charged but went on the run for 16 months when he was due to stand trial, said William Rickarby, prosecuting.

Lavelle, 34, of Ismere Way, Broadwaters, Kidderminster, was jailed for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to the burglary at the home of Mr and Mrs Andrew Fleming and to failing to attend court for his trial.

Mr Rickarby said that none of the property had been recovered.

Lavelle claimed that his fingerprint had been "planted" on a television inside the house but his guilty plea meant that he had now abandoned this defence.

Lavelle had been in court on 18 previous occasions for a total of 30 offences, mainly dishonesty.

Delroy Henry, defending, said that Lavelle had not re-offended while on the run and had made strenuous attempts to cure his drug problem.

He had even tried to have an implant to make himself drug-free but this had not worked.

Recorder Amjad Nawaz said court took a very serious view of house burglaries, particularly when items of sentimental value had been stolen and not recovered.