A tiny burglar who broke into two homes in Coulsdon by throwing stones through windows has been jailed for four years.

Paul Cooper, who at 4ft 9in is just four inches taller than dwarf Game of Throne actor Peter Dinklage, committed his latest crimes in June and July.

The little crook miraculously managed to scale a 6ft wall before breaking windows of one victim's home but he failed to get in.

DNA on one of the stones snared the career criminal and led to the Met Police putting out an appeal to trace an "unusually short man."

The dad-of-five was eventually tracked down and charged with two counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary.

The 39-year-old, who admitted his thieving, stole a gold necklace with diamonds and rubies, two laptops, an iPad, and an Amazon Kindle, worth £1,500, from a 68-year-old woman.

From a 63-year-old woman he stole two laptops, five bottles of vintage champagne and a top-of-the-range Dyson fan worth £1,800.

He also stole £300 from a gym and spa.

Cooper peered over the dock wearing a grey jumper as prosecutor Shahnaz Ahmed told Croydon Crown Court how one of his victims was "devastated".

She read from her victim impact statement which said: "I did not receive any injuries as a result of this crime.

"But I am extremely worried about going out of the house, and at the same time, I have been worried about being home alone."

Sentencing, Judge Elizabeth Smaller told Cooper: "I have heard submissions that you are not a drug addict, you are not a drinker, but that you steal to make ends meet.

"But, Mr Cooper, it doesn't make you a family man. It makes you a burglar and a vandal."

His recent burglaries activated the three-strikes rule - meaning a third domestic burglary must be met with a prison sentence of at least three years.

She also noted Cooper committed the burglaries while serving a 10-month suspended sentence for burglary committed last year.

She told Cooper he would serve the suspended sentence before beginning his new sentence