A SHERIFF was the victim of a crime when a housebreaker targeted his plush house and escaped with almost £30,000 of jewellery.

Maxwell Hendry's terraced house, believed to be worth £600,000, was broken into while he and his wife were on holiday.

Neighbours alerted the police when they heard the couple's house alarm go off and footsteps inside the four-bedroom property on Kirklee Road in Glasgow's Kelvindale area.

Housebreaker Michael Houston was snared when his DNA was found on the handle of a set of drawers in the main bedroom.

The 40-year-old from Maryhill pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a string of charges between October 2012 and November 2013.

They included breaking into four houses on Kirklee Road, Partickhill Road, Highburgh Road and Lancefield Quay and stealing various items.

He also admitted breaking into a basement flat on Rosslyn Terrace with intent to steal and a charge of having a knife on him.

The court was told Mr Hendry locked up his house on October 12, 2013 before going on holiday.

Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan told the court: "On October 18, 2013, at approximately 11.30pm, a neighbour who was aware of the fact that their neighbours were on holiday heard the sound of the house alarm and she heard what sounded like footsteps from within the property.

"She investigated further and could then see an internal light which was on and contacted the police immediately who attended quickly."

Sentence on Houston was deferred until next month for reports and he was remanded in custody.

Sheriff Hendry was appointed in 2003 and sits in Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. In 2011 he cleared DJ Basehunter of sex assault.