A man deported from Australia in March was yesterday sentenced for a burglary committed in Dunedin in June.

Before the Dunedin District Court was Corey George Morris (32), of Dunedin, who had admitted burgling a house in Runciman St, Green Island, on June 22.

He was sentenced to five months’ community detention (curfewed 7pm-7am daily), nine months’ supervision and ordered to pay $1500 reparation.

The police summary said Morris was deported from Australia in March and subject to probation department conditions as a returned overseas offender.

The house he burgled was being renovated. No-one was living in it but there were valuable building tools and supplies on site.

Morris drove to the address about 4.30am on June 22, intending to burgle the property and steal builders’ tools.

On site, he moved about $8000 of tools from inside on to a deck in preparation for loading into his vehicle.

Aware of suspicious activity, a neighbour phoned police.

Almost immediately after police arrived, Morris came out of the house carrying a large saw valued at about $1000.

Told he was under arrest, he immediately dropped the saw and tried to flee by jumping fences into the neighbour’s property.

He was chased and quickly arrested.

Judge John Macdonald noted Morris had relevant Australian convictions — prison in 2017 for attempted house burglary, ‘‘and there was also another attempted burglary’’.