A PROLIFIC burglar has been spared jail for his latest crime spree – but was warned it is his last chance.

Career criminal Elroy McArthur was responsible for a dozen offences across Darlington within weeks of being released from his last prison sentence.

A judge at Teesside Crown Court heard that the 40-year-old had never had help from the Probation Service in the last five years.

His barrister said on the seven occasions since 2014 he has appeared in court, he has been given a custodial sentence.

Victoria Lamballe, defending, said he virtually always returns to crime within days of being released, and asked Judge Deborah Sherwin to look at a different way of punishing – and helping – him.

She said: "He is a career burglar with an absolutely appalling record for offending.

"Having said that, his last involvement with the Probation Service goes back to 2014, and since then he has been in court on seven separate occasions and on each of those occasions an immediate custodial sentence has followed.

"He has got to the point where he has been released, spending a matter of weeks in the community without any accommodation in place and without any funding. He almost immediately returns to reoffending.

"Rather depressingly, he has got to the point where it is easier to be in prison than out of it.

"When he is out of prison, he very much struggles with drug problems. When he is inside, he does fairly well and manages his drug addiction without any difficulty.

“On each release, he has had no money in his pocket, and quickly fallen back into substance misuse and offending to fund that addiction.

“He has been in the community for no more than a matter of weeks at a time since 2014 before being arrested and returned to custody.”

McArthur, of Cloverdale, Whinfield, Darlington, admitted six burglary charges, and asked for a further six to be taken into consideration.

He was given a two-year community order with 40 days of rehabilitation activity, and a 12-month drug testing review.

Judge Sherwin told him: “Ultimately, things are in your hands and it is up to you to make a go of it. I am prepared to give you a chance.”

Miss Lamballe said: “He realises this is his last chance. The defendant would simply be grateful to have his liberty again and, hopefully, make some headway.”

McArthur’s spree in January and February involved sneak-in burglaries at Darlington Memorial Hospital and shops and businesses across the town.

He twice targeted Fatso’s sandwich shop as well as the Dolphin Centre, a centre for vulnerable adults, a funeral parlour, a pub Halfords and Poundland.

Among the things he stole were a mountain bike, cash, lap-tops, camera, a mobile phone and an ipad.

A member of the hospital staff, who had his rucksack stolen, said: “A hospital is classed as a place of safety for many people. I should be able to leave my property in the staff area and not worry about it being stolen.

“I am disgusted at this man’s actions. Staff members are on edge. I should not feel like this at work, not least in a hospital.”