TWO men who were caught red-handed burgling a house in Shaftesbury have been jailed for a total of five years at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Gavin Disson, 34, from Shaftesbury and Mark Barnes, 48, from Blandford broke into the Coppice Street property on April 9 this year.

Their victims, who were at home at the time, challenged them and the intruders ran off leaving the computer monitor they had attempted to steal. They were arrested at a local address the next day by the local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Disson and Barnes both pleaded guilty to burglary and other offences. Disson received a 32 month prison sentence and Barnes was jailed for 28 months.

Inspector Shawn Whitley of Shaftesbury police said: “The severity of the sentences shows that this criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and should act as a strong deterrent.”