A Southampton man fell back into his old ways when he tried burgling a house – hours after being released from prison.

Raymond Cummings was seen trying to get into a house in Shirley, Southampton, with another man, Aaron Dowling.

Witnesses in a nearby parked car alerted police and within five minutes the pair were arrested.

Cummings, 28, of Wimpson Lane, and Dowling, 31, of Redbridge Hill, admitted attempted burglary.

Judge Peter Henry deferred sentencing on Cummings for six months, telling him the court would look “favourably” towards him if during that period he sought help with his drink problem, stopped smoking cannabis, kept out of trouble and looked for work.

Dowling received a six-month suspended sentence, a four-month curfew, 12 months’ supervision and a six-month drug rehabilitation order. Cummings has 39 previous convictions and Dowling has seven.