TWO men have been jailed after admitting to a spate of attempted burglaries in Weymouth.

Shane Leroy Hughes, 23, and Michael Andrew Tambling, 43, pleaded guilty to two offences in Emmadale Road and one in Cromwell Road in the early hours of May 26.

They had initially denied the offences and entered their admissions on the morning they were due to stand trial at Dorchester Crown Court.

Hughes, of Holland Road, Weymouth, also admitted an attempted burglary at a property in Highland Road on the same date.

Tambling, also of Holland Road, continued to deny that offence and prosecutor Charles Gabb said that the Crown Prosecution Service would not be pursuing a trial on the matter.

Mr Gabb said that all four properties were occupied at the time of the attempted break-ins and in each case the occupants disturbed.

He said the incidents involved the offender or offenders going to the back door and attempting to force it, although in each case they failed to gain entry.

The pair were arrested on the night thanks to the efforts of a police dog after a witness to the final attempted break-in alerted police.

Hughes was found in possession of a screwdriver and Tambling had a torch in his pocket, while a screwdriver forensically linked to him was left at one of the properties, as was a rubber glove.

Mr Gabb said: “The Crown’s case is they went out on that night deliberately to burgle.”

The court was told Hughes had previous convictions for burglary, theft and robbery and he admitted breaching a suspended sentence order for an offence of shoplifting.

Mr Gabb described Tambling as a ‘career burglar’ with a string of offences dating back to 1986.

Robert Harding, representing Hughes, said his client had no intention of forcing entry to any property where people were present and each time he discovered they were inhabited he left the scene immediately.

He said: “He has expressed genuine sorrow to his victims.”

David Lyons, representing Tambling, said that his client also offered no challenge as soon as they realised they had disturbed the occupants.

He also recognised the defendant’s ‘appalling record’.

Mr Lyons said: “If he is a career burglar he needs some career advice.”

Both men were sentenced to 32 months in prison on each count, which are to be served concurrently.