A man caught attempting to burgle an Abingdon business for a third time blamed his behaviour on an overactive thyroid.

Darren Morris, 37, from Coventry, was jailed for 18 months after admitting three burglaries at Schlumberger's, on the Abingdon Business Park.

Oxford Crown Court heard that Morris said he had an overactive thyroid gland, which had led to him losing weight and losing his job as a labourer.

The thyroid gland, just below a person's Adam's apple, makes hormones that are passed into the bloodstream.

Morris said his health problem had caused him to fall behind with rent payments and instead of claiming benefit, he had "gone back to his old ways".

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone told the court on Friday that Morris, a crack cocaine user, had been to the Abingdon premises twice between November, 2005 and June, 2006 and stolen items from handbags belonging to staff.

He went again, carrying a knife, on January 29 this year, but was recognised from CCTV footage of the previous incidents and arrested.

He pleaded guilty to the charges at a court appearance in February.

Mr Stone said they did not believe Morris had intended to use the knife.

Morris, who had last been involved in a burglary 14 years ago, asked for 13 other offences to be taken into consideration.