A sex offender on early release from prison who took part in a burglary while the occupants slept has escaped jail.

Matthew Robinson’s car was seen on CCTV at the Lackham College campus when the warders’ house was broken into.

The 24-year-old said he was just taking a friend, who he only knew as J-Dub, to meet his girlfriend and hadn’t realised the raid was going to take place.

But when he saw the friend carrying out the break-in, using keys left in a door, he acted as lookout and kept some of the proceeds.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the victims were a couple who live in a bungalow on the estate near Lacock.

On the morning of May 29 the man got up after hearing an alarm in a nearby building and couldn’t find his keys. He took another set and then realised they had been broken into as a number of items were missing.

Police went to Robinson’s home and found he had a drill, keys and a key ring which were taken in the raid. A £400 air rifle was not recovered.

Robinson, of Middle Field Road, Allington, Chippenham, pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary.

Alex Daymond, defending, said his client had struggled after being released from prison as he had not received adequate support. He said another short jail term would leave him in the same position.

Passing sentence recorder Peter Blair QC said: “If I were to send you to prison for 10 months it seems on your release in five months time you would be back at square one.”

He jailed him for 10 months suspended for a year and told him to do 80 hours of unpaid work, a thinking skills programme, be under supervision and observe a three-month 8pm to 6am curfew.