A burglar caught on camera by a quick-thinking neighbour after breaking into a Norwich home has been sent to jail.The neighbour took the photograph on his mobile phone of Darren Sewell, 26, after he left empty-handed from the property in Lime Tree Road, Eaton, after setting off the burglar alarm.

A burglar from Cromer, caught after breaking into a Norwich home when a quick-thinking neighbour took a picture of him on his mobile phone, has been sent to jail.

The suspicious neighbour took the photograph of Darren Sewell, 26, after he left empty-handed from the property in Lime Tree Road, Eaton, setting off the burglar alarm.

Police were called and recognised Sewell from the photograph.

Last Wednesday, Sewell, of Cabbell Road, Cromer, appeared at Norwich Crown Court for sentence and was jailed for three years after a judge described him as a 'menace to householders'.

Sewell also asked for four other burglaries to be taken into consideration, including another burglary in Lime Tree Road and St Clements Hill, in Norwich, and a break-in at Trimingham.

The court heard that Sewell had a bad record for burglaries and Judge Paul Downes told him: 'You are something of a menace to householders.'

He said he accepted Sewell had mental health problems but a psychiatric report had shown that he was not suitable for any hospital order.

He said that Sewell must try to break the cycle of his offending and warned: 'Otherwise the sentences will get longer and longer.'

Philip Farr, for Sewell, said that he had a chronic history of mental health problems: 'However, he does not help himself as he frequently uses illegal drugs. He is in an unbreakable cycle.'

He added: 'He is a man unable to help himself.'

After an earlier hearing, another neighbour, who also heard the alarm and was with the neighbour when he took the photo of Sewell on his mobile, had commented: 'It was just a neighbourly thing we did.'