A burglar whose arrest led to the discovery of a dead body in a doorway has been jailed for 12 weeks.

Shay Scales was caught by police moments after stealing four laptops from Specsavers in Exeter High Street.

He had been released from jail just two days before for similar offences and is stuck in a cycle of offending, Exeter Magistrates were told.

Homeless Scales, 35, was sent back to jail for 12 weeks.

Prosecutor Lyndsey Baker said the offence happened on June 22.

A cleaner at Specsavers called police at 7am after hearing a smash downstairs.

While police were searching the premises Scales was seen on town CCTV leaving the boarded up shop next door.

"He approached a marked police vehicle and tried to open the door," said the prosecutor.

Scales, who was wearing Specsavers ID lanyard he had stolen, was arrested.

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The defendant pleaded guilty to burglary.

He told police he had originally been looking for 'somewhere to get his head down' but had then had a look around the place.

He suffered from mental health problems and post traumatic stress disorder.

All the stolen items were recovered and returned to the store, which has been having problems with homeless people since the unit next door closed down.

Scales has a long history of offending and was convicted in May of public order and criminal damage.

James Rickard, mitigating, said the offence had not been planned and his problems were linked to homelessness. He said his muddled state of mind was illustrated by his attempts to get into the police car.

"He's a homeless man who recently been released from prison and is going back to prison," he said. "So the revolving door spins again and it will continue to do so."

After his arrest police issued a statement on a separate incident.

It said: "While at the scene officers located a male unconscious in the entryway of the premises.

"Ambulance attended the scene and sadly the man, in his 40s, was confirmed deceased. His death is not being treated as suspicious."