A burglar was caught trying to break into homes near Birkenhead Park after he was spotted by chance by a top policeman's partner.

She was walking in the park when she saw Shaun O'Toole peering through the windows of a building with the sleeves of his jumper over his hands.

When he realised she had seen him he began pretending to be admiring the building before walking off, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

She went home and told her partner, Chief Inspector Phillip Davies. what she had seen and they both went back to the scene.

O'Toole was seen turning into Egerton Road and climbing over a fence to the rear of a flat occupied by a 68-year-old woman.

He was seen trying the patio door with his jumper sleeves over his hands, said Damian Webb, prosecuting.

The officer summoned help and colleagues arrived to find O'Toole trying to open the door of the neighbouring unoccupied flat, again covering his hands.

He was arrested and said, "You caught me red-handed, sometimes you have to take it on the chin." Later when interviewed he said he had drunk strong lager and taken methadone and could not recollect the incidents but denied intending to commit any crime.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that 41-year-old O'Toole has 51 previous convictions for dishonesty and had been recalled to prison to complete a four-year sentence imposed for burglary in 2007.

O'Toole, of Teck Street, Kensington, who pleaded guilty to two attempted burglaries, was jailed for two years.

John Weate, defending, said that O'Toole's life has been blighted by drugs.