Fingerprints found at a burgled house could have been left there during an innocent visit by a man accused of raiding the property, a court heard.

Defence lawyer Renee Foggo told the Supreme Court trial of Carlton Eugene Minors that his prints found in the St. Luke's Lane house could have come from another time.

She said Minors had been to the St. David's residence with occupant Otis Ingham on another occasion. And Police officers had stated that it was not possible to determine how long the prints had been there.

Speaking during her final submissions, Miss Foggo said witness Lincoln Christopher had told Police that Minors had nothing to do with the crime.

Christopher, 28, of Ballast Road, St. David's, had previously pleaded guilty to breaking and entering. Last December he was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment for the crime.

"Lincoln Christopher had nothing to gain by coming here, he has pleaded guilty to the offence and he has been punished,'' she said. She added Minors had been forthcoming with answers to the Police and hadn't denied that he had been with Christopher on that day.

Minors, 29, of Great Bay Road, St. David's, denies breaking and entering, and receiving stolen property on May 28 last year.

Today, the jury are expected to retire to consider their verdict after directions from Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller. In the daylight raid $17,000 of jewellery and electrical items were stolen from the house shared by Otis Ingham and Tammy Wurzbacher.

Minors was caught after a Police pursuit and jewellery was found near an abandoned motorcycle.

Crown counsel Charlene Scott questioned why Lincoln Christopher had waited until now to come forward and defend Minors. She asked how the fingerprints -- which Police said were more recent than others -- came to be under the sash of the window. And she queried why Minors had continued to run from Police if he had done nothing wrong.