A thief, who was traced through a chocolate bar dropped at a break-in, has been jailed for 32 months.
Dellroy McPhillips, 30, was spotted buying the KitKat bar in a shop just minutes before breaking into an Edinburgh house and stealing rings.
McPhillips, earlier pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to stealing the rings from the house in Gracemount Avenue and assaulting Kenneth Ross, 58.
Mr Ross had tried to detain the thief during the raid in December.
"I warned you it could be a substantial sentence."
Mr Ross had returned home at about 1210 GMT while McPhillips was still in the house.
Depute Fiscal Liz Scott told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: "Mr Ross went upstairs and on reaching the top, McPhillips came running out of a bedroom and tried to barge past him."
Mr Ross grabbed McPhillips and a struggle broke out. Both fell down the stairs and they ended up in the garden."
Mr Ross tried to prevent the thief from running away, but McPhillips, a heroin addict, punched at him and was able to flee.
Mr Ross ducked out of the way as the thief escaped.
Fought owner
Defence agent David Blair-Wilson told Sheriff Derrick McIntyre that his client had stolen to buy heroin.
He said: "He clearly had not banked on Mr Ross coming back and then he panicked and tried to get away."
Sheriff Derrick McIntyre told McPhillips: "I warned you it could be a substantial sentence.
"The owner came back and you had a fight with him.
"I take into account he suffered no injury and there was no weapon. The starting point would be 42 months, but in view of matters and your early plea, that is reduced to 32 months".
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