A 31-year-old man who broke into a Bridgnorth family’s home while they were inside and stole a toaster has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Gary Lesniewicz, of Aldersley Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, admitted burgling the home of Warwick Bradley in Bridgnorth on February 7.

Yesterday at Shrewsbury Crown Court he was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison for the burglary and 14 days, to run consecutively, for breaching a six-month conditional discharge imposed in October for shoplifting.

The sentence was suspended for 12 months and Lesniewicz was made subject to a supervision order.

Joanne Barker, prosecuting, said: “At about 3.45pm on February 7, Warwick Bradley was watching television in his three-storey home in Bridgnorth. His partner and 14-year-old daughter were on the top floor.

“Mr Bradley heard a noise on the ground floor and on hearing a second noise went to investigate and found the defendant in the kitchen holding a toaster. He pushed the toaster towards Mr Bra- dley, there was a brief struggle and Mr Bradley was able to push the defendant out.

“He gave chase, the defendant swung the toaster at Mr Bradley and Mr Bradley punched the defendant.

“He returned home with the toaster and checked on his family.”

The court heard Lesniewicz, who was addicted to heroin but is now undertaking methadone treatment, was sorry for what he had done and sent his apologies to the householder.