Batton caught on urban wildlife CCTV. Image: Met Police

A man has been jailed for burglary after he was filmed on a ‘Fox Family’ camera installed in a neighbouring property to film urban wildlife.

43 year old Nigel Batton from Marischal Road, Lewisham was convicted of one count of burglary and one count of attempted burglary at Woolwich Crown Court.

He’s received a sentence of four-and-a-half years.

Nigel Batton jailed for four and a half years at Woolwich Crown Court. Image: Met Police

Batton made the mistake of deciding to burgle an address in Hollingbourne Road, SE24,  in the early hours of 12th January 2014.

At 3:46 am a ‘Fox Family’ camera installed in a neighbouring property to film urban wildlife, and streaming live to Simon King’s wildlife websitewww.simonkingwildlife.com captured an image of a him climbing over a garden fence.

Batton was also filmed looking through the slat blinds of a studio office and trying to open the door before walking off across the garden.

Police in Southwark released a CCTV image of the person in the footage to the media and a number of calls were received identifying Batton.

A scarf recovered at the scene of the burglary contained Batton’s DNA and a search of his home address recovered the same cardigan that the suspect was wearing when caught on camera.

Evidence of clothing that connected Batton to the burglary and CCTV. Image: Met Police

Despite the over-whelming evidence, Batton continued to plead not guilty throughout his trial.

Detective Constable Marie Hamilton, from Southwark police, said:

The images from the Fox family camera were brilliant and together with the forensics we have been able to ensure that Batton has been brought to justice.