A drunk burglar was caught when he passed out in the home of his 95-year-old victim.

Cezar Bivolaru, 25, smashed his way into the woman’s house in Barley Lane, Goodmayes, while she and a young relative were asleep in the early hours of December 2.

But after ransacking the property and stashing jewellery in a bag, Bivolaru, of Telegraph Mews, Ilford, who had been drinking whisky, fell asleep.

The woman was extremely distressed after waking in the morning to find Bivolaru flat out in her front room, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Hector McLean-Watt said: “The method of entry involved smashing a conservatory door. There was also damage caused to some wooden slats.

“As a result, a substantial amount of blood on the floor was used to trace exactly where the defendant’s movements had been.”

Bivolaru was in “a state of extreme intoxication” when he was arrested, Mr McLean-Watt added.

Bivolaru admitted a single count of burglary.

Sentencing, judge John Lafferty told him: “The house you chose to burgle contained a child under the age of 10 and a person aged 95 and your intrusion must have been frightening for them.

“Had you pleaded not guilty, the sentence would have been 21 months.

“A sentence of 14 months is the shortest I can pass taking into account the gravity of the offence you committed.”

Bivolaru, who has a previous conviction for shoplifting alcohol, sobbed as he was jailed.

John Harrison, mitigating, said Bivolaru was so drunk at the time he could barely remember the burglary.