A BURGLAR who raided a house while the family slept upstairs has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

The family have been so upset by the break-in they no longer want to live in the house in Clifton Road, Shefford, Luton Crown Court was told.

The burglar, Marvin Houston, who had been in prison several times for domestic burglaries, was jailed on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old, of Lucas Way in Shefford, pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy to burgle and possessing an offensive weapon - an extendable baton.

During the break-in on February 19, the wife heard noises downstairs and her husband saw a man running out of the house.

Car keys, a phone and a hard drive containing all the family’s photos for the past six years were taken.

Houston was arrested hours later, and the keys and phone recovered.

His own mobile revealed incriminating texts to another man, Lewis Taylor, in which they appeared to be planning to burgle a drug dealer.

At one point Houston texted: “I will do the talking and the beating, you do the back up. I have got ammonia LoL”.

Police arrested Taylor, 24, of Shefford High Street. He admitted supplying Houston with cannabis and had about five regular customers. He admitted the texts about the burglary, but the crime was not committed.

Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle and being concerned in the supply of cannabis and was jailed for six months.