Lukasz Chojnowski, 28, was wandering the streets looking for a place to stay when he saw a semi-detached house with a ‘wildlife garden’ which he allegedly thought had been abandoned.
The owners, Martin Holtby and his partner Pat Dyson had been away on a five-day National Trust excursion when they returned to Nelson, Lancashire to find Chojnowski asleep in their bed.
In addition they found a chicken and pasta dinner prepared, crockery, post and newspapers stacked.
The bath had been filled with water and Chojnowski’s socks and underwear drying.
Just before he prodded the man awake, Mr Holtby exclaimed: ‘Someone’s been sleeping in my bed – and he’s still here?’
Chojnowski on waking up claimed that he had found the house ‘derelict’ and had been evicted from his previous lodging.
While he forced open a back window, the couple found that nothing had been taken.
Chojnowski, an upholsterer by trade, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft at Burnley Crown Court.
He was given a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £200 in damages.
The Judge, Recorder Raymond Herman explained his lenient sentence: ‘It would appear you entered this property not with any deep intent to be dishonest, but simply as somewhere to live and probably hide for some days.
‘It’s right to say Mrs Dyson and Mr Holtby are at pains to ensure the court understands that they feel you left the house in a neat and tidy condition and from that I infer they feel some sympathy for you.’
