A THIEF who left a trail of blood while breaking into a school tried to cover his tracks by setting the building on fire, a court heard.

Steven Shannon caused £32,000 of damage to Cathkin High School in Cambuslang after setting fire to papers in the technical block.

The 19-year-old cut his hand on a window while breaking in and decided to burn down the school building in a bid to hide his DNA.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, Shannon, whose address was given as Polmont Young Offenders Institution, admitted setting fire to the school and badly damaging four classrooms on December 15, 2006.

Stephen Dryden, defending, revealed Shannon had set fire to the school in a drunken stupor after panicking at the sight of his blood.

Mr Dryden added: "He entered the premises for the purpose of theft and injured his hand.

"Setting fire to the locus was an attempt by him to destroy any evidence."

Sentence was deferred until later this month for background reports.