A female homeowner returned to her property to find a drunk stranger sitting on her bed completely NAKED before he fled from her house wearing her CLOTHES, a court heard.
Martin Welsh, 55, sneaked into the house in September last year where he fell asleep after necking a bottle of champagne.
A court heard when the shocked tenant returned home with her partner she found Welsh perched on her bed completely nude.
The stunned couple ran from the property in Lincoln before Welsh escaped moments later wearing her clothes and carrying her dressing gown.
Welsh, from Welton, Lincs., admitted burglary but was spared jail when he was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on February 21.
He was given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Sean Morris told him: “I am quite satisfied that in drink you saw her moving out and took the opportunity to go in and get your head down.
“You went in and drank yourself senseless on a bottle of champagne.
“The poor householder and her partner came back to find you sat on the bed naked.
“It was horrific but I don’t think there was any sexual motive here.”
Prosecutor Grace Hale told the court the incident had a traumatic effect on the woman – who gave up her tenancy of the property and moved 50 miles away to Sheffield just days later.
She added: “She ran upstairs into her bedroom and found Welsh sitting naked on her bed. He was a complete stranger.
“Her bedroom was littered with items strewn across the floor.
“The woman and her partner ran out into the street in shock.
“At this point the defendant was getting ready to leave. He was wearing her clothes and putting her dressing gown into his bag.”
The court heard Welsh was desperate to find somewhere to sleep following an argument with his partner in September last year.
His barrister Mark Knowles said he believed the woman was moving out and sneaked in through an open door before going to sleep.
Mr Knowles said: “He is embarrassed by the whole affair. There was no sexual intent.
“There had been difficulties with his partner and he didn’t feel he could go home.
“He thought the house was going to be empty. He admitted he drank the champagne.”