A homeless man who was was scavenging from sheds in St Albans to survive has been sent to a psychiatric unit.

Kiel St Cyr, 20, was arrested after breaking into a shed in Starlight Way in the city last June.

Home owner Stephen Wallace was alerted by his daughter who saw St Cyr jumping over his fence, St Albans crown court was told today/Friday.

Will Noble, prosecuting, said Mr Wallace gave chase and was able to hold onto St Cyr before the police arrived.

He had stolen an old array of items including: WD40 spray, a fog horn and a kitchen towel.

St Cyr had been living in a shed nearby and had broken into other sheds in the area in the previous days. They were in: Woodland View, Drakes Drive, Thirlmere Drive, Eden Road and at Oaklands College's Smallford campus.

At the police station he had been dressed in a safety suit for his own protection, but ripped the top and caused £55 damage.

St Cyr, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to six counts of burglary and one of criminal damage. They were all committed in June last year. He had previous convictions for common assault, battery, criminal damage and causing actual bodily harm.

Nicola Shannon, defending, said that at the time St Cyr was homeless and "scavenging" to survive. He was supported in the public gallery in court by his mother and grandmother.

Psychiatrists who have examined him at Warren Court in the Eric Shepherd Unit in Abbots Langley found he has Aspergers Syndrome, Anti Social Personality Disorder and was exhibiting signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD.)

Judge Andrew Bright QC St Cyr: "I am satisfied you are someone who suffers from a mental disorder. You are very much in need of treatment."

He passed a Section 41 Restriction Order under the Mental Health Act, which means he will be detained in Warren Court indefinitely.

The judge told him: "It is for doctors to decide when it is safe for you to be reintegrated into society. I hope you are released into the community sooner rather than later."