A THIEF snared climbing out a window before claiming it was a friend’s flat was jailed yesterday for 22 months.

Craig McKnight, 34, was spotted by officers armed with a knife, a screw driver and a bottle of medicine in May this year.

McKnight claimed he was waiting in the flat of his friend “Rab” in Rutherglen but he was not in.

McKnight pleaded guilty yesterday to housebreaking as well as the unlawful possession of a knife and a screwdriver.

The court heard officers assisted McKnight out of the window and searched him. A Swiss Army knife, a screwdriver with a sharpened head and screws were found in his jacket pocket. A bottle of medicine with the name “Robert George Hamilton” on it was also found.

Prosecutor Adele MacDonald said: “It’s my pal Rab’s house, he’s not in, I just went in to wait for a bit.”

Glass was found smashed at the front door to the property and McKnight was arrested.

Elspeth Forrest, defending, told the court Mr Hamilton claimed he didn’t know McKnight.

Sheriff John McCormick asked: “The accused knew his name from the bottle?”

Miss Forrest replied: “Yes.”

Sheriff McCormick told the dad-of-three a custodial sentence was necessary.

He said: “These charges are serious and committed while you were on a number of bail orders.”