A prolific burglar banned from Manchester city centre broke into a student halls of residence to steal three flatscreen TVs and a Playstation.
Francis Connelly, who has previous convictions for 98 thefts, left-empty handed.
But he caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the common room at Lambert House near Piccadilly Station.
He was caught after police examined a trail of blood left at the scene.
The 57-year-old broke into the city centre halls with an unknown female accomplice in August last year, a court heard.
In doing so, he breached the terms of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), in which he was banned from entering that part of the city centre.
The three-year CBO was issued in 2018 and was due to expire in April this year.
Prosecuting, Hunter Gray told Minshull Street Crown Court: "At 8pm on August 9 last year, (Connelly) attended Lambert House with an unknown female.
"He got access via a fire exit. He broke through the window of a door. The incident was caught on CCTV.
"He remained in that area for an hour and a half. He attempted to steal three TVs and a PlayStation. He caused damage to a cupboard.
"He left a trail of blood at the scene. The blood was analysed and confirmed to be his on December 17."
Mr Gray told the court that Connelly has 62 previous convictions for 141 offences.
Defending, James Preece said Connelly was 'disappointed to find himself before the court again'.
"He is clearly in a cycle of drugs, offending and prison. He is 57, not too far off 60", he said.
Connelly had managed to secure accommodation in the three month period between his latest offence and his arrest in December, Mr Preece told the court.
The court heard Connelly had issues with drug addiction and was currently taking methadone.
Connelly, of Oregon Close, Ardwick, was sentenced to 20 months in prison on Tuesday.
He previously pleaded guilty to burglary and breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order.
A judge also subjected him to a new three year Criminal Behaviour Order, banning him from entering the same area of Manchester city centre starting from today (Tuesday).
Sentencing him, Recorder Robert Lazarus said: "The defendant has been, since 2018, subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order, preventing him from entering Manchester city centre.
"The location of the burglary was unequivocally within the area where this offence was committed.
"To put it mildly, the defendant is a career burglar. He has 98 theft offences since 1975, when he was aged 12.
"He has been in and out of prison since 1984 at the age of 21."
