A drug addict burglar who ransacked a man's home before taking a £2,000 bike and a cordless drill has been spared a three-year jail term.

James Boulton broke into Alan Yeats's house in Hayward Road, Bristol, and threw his belongings around looking for valuables to steal.

But Boulton, 34, who is living in a Salvation Army hostel, dropped a drugs prescription with his name on in the attic.

Mr Yeats's girlfriend discovered the packet three months after the burglary and Boulton was arrested.

He admitted a single charge of burglary and was given an 18-month community order with the requirement that he attends an addressing substance-related offending programme and accepts guidance from his drugs worker.

Bristol Crown Court heard Boulton has previous five previous convictions for burglary and qualified for a minimum three-year jail term.

But Judge David Ticehurst told him he would be spared jail because he had made "exceptional progress" in his fight to beat his drug addiction.

Judge Ticehurst warned Boulton he would jail him for at least four years if he breached his community order.

Mr Yeats was renovating his home on January 12 this year and had left it at 8pm. He returned the following morning to find it turned upside down – biscuits had been strewn around and suitcases ripped open.

Mr Yeats found a mountain bike which he built himself – worth about £2,000 – and the cordless drill were missing.

He and his girlfriend were moving home on April 22, and she found the prescription packet when she was clearing the loft.

The little white tablet box was down between the rafters – on it was Boulton's name and it was dated the same day as the burglary.

The couple called the police and Boulton was arrested.

Catherine Spedding, defending, said Boulton had a bad drug habit but showed "tremendous" commitment to get clean.

Emma Palmer, a criminal justice drugs worker, told Judge Ticehurst Boulton completely detoxed in July.

She said Boulton is now working with a radio station to help drug users through music, visits the elderly, attends Alcoholics Anonymous and is due to start voluntary work with the National Trust.