A woman with a serious heart condition said she was 'lucky' not to suffer a medical episode after coming face-to-face with a burglar on her stairs.
Martin Wilding has been jailed after breaking into a home in Willow Tree Close, Wigan, and stealing car keys, house keys, jewellery, two watches, a guitar, two iPhones and an electric toothbrush.
As he fled the house, he came face to face with homeowner Jacqui Wheatcroft.
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After asking who he was and what he was doing in her house, Wilding grunted and left through the front door.
The burglary took place at around 11pm on June 22, prosecution barrister Kimberley Obrusik told Bolton Crown Court.
Earlier that night, Wilding stole meat, dog food, eight jars of coffee, 33 chocolate bars and five bottles of cleaning products from the Tesco Express store in Gildow Lane.
He then unsuccessfully tried to break in to a parked car in Whitley Crescent, before making his way to Ms Wheatcroft's home.
Wilding was found by police a short time later.
When officers found him, he was looking under a wheelie bin, which is where police say the stolen items from Tesco were recovered.
Upon searching him, police also found items taken from Ms Wheatcroft's home.
Wilding claimed that he had found the items by the canal and told cops: "There's a bag full of s*** down there, go and check it all."
In a victim personal statement, Ms Wheatcroft said that she had been left "shocked and upset" by the incident.
She also said that she has a heart condition which requires a pacemaker and that medical episodes can be triggered by stress.
Ms Wheatcroft added: "It's lucky that this didn't happen on this occasion."
Wilding committed the offences while on bail, after breaking into St John's primary school, in Pemberton, on March 18.
Nothing was stolen during that burglary but he caused around £640 damage to the school.
The school's headteacher said that the repairs were paid out of a budget that would have otherwise been spent on the pupils and their education.
Wilding, who has 48 convictions for 94 offences, pleaded guilty to burglary of a dwelling, burglary of a non-dwelling, theft from a shop and vehicle interference.
Defence barrister Colin Buckle told the court to consider Wilding's early guilty plea in mitigation.
He also mentioned that he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the offending and is seeking help in regards to his addiction.
Sentencing Wilding to 16 months imprisonment, Judge Graeme Smith said: "You told probation that you were drugged up and off your head and that you don't really recall your actions.
"Your offending over the years, which is extensive, has been driven by your addiction.
"Burglaries are particularly stressful for the people who experience them. They are entitled to believe that their home is a safe place and that they won't be confronted by a stranger taking things from their property.
"Ms Wheatcroft had a serious health condition. It is very fortunate, both for her and you, that the shock of seeing you did not create something more serious than what happened."
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