A THIEF who targeted 16 cars and stole items from 14 of them has become “institutionalised” after a five-year prison sentence, a court heard.

Jamie Marriott broke into 14 cars in Darlington and stole cash, laptops, tools and a sat nav weeks after he was released from jail.

The 30-year-old appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison on Wednesday when he pleaded guilty to 14 counts of theft from a motor vehicle and two counts of vehicle interference.

John Garside, prosecuting, said the defendant also stole bank cards, coats, sunglasses, phone chargers and anti-bacterial hand wash from the parked cars between August 28 and October 3.

Ben Pegman, representing Marriott, of Stooperdale Avenue, Darlington, said he had become “institutionalised” following his custodial sentence.

He said: “He was given a five-year sentence in July 2014 and the relevance of that is that due to recall, he has effectively spent five years in custody and has only been recently released.

“He came out of custody and the offences occurred very shortly after that, he fully admits this raft of offences.

“He told police he had been committing the offences to fund his drug and alcohol abuse and said he was sorry to all of the victims.

“Over the last five years he has become institutionalised and did not cope very well with coming out of prison.”

A report from probation said: “He [Marriott] admits to feeling extremely anxious about being released and the struggles he would face on the outside

“He said he found the prison lifestyle and routine easier to cope with.

“He has been in and out of prison since he was 15 and says his mental health has deteriorated so he self medicated with whatever drugs he could get his hands on.

“He told me he first tried drugs aged seven or eight, was regularly using at 12 and had tried all class A drugs by the time he was 14.

“He has 34 convictions for 77 offences, the majority of which are theft.”

Mr Pegman added: “At what stage in someone’s life is it the right time to give them an opportunity?

“He makes the point that he has turned 30 very recently and he knows there is another way to life. When he got his five-year sentence he was working as a dry stone waller in the Teesdale area, he was well regarded in the community and he has a lot of skill.”

Chair of the bench, Christopher Cunnington-Shore, sentenced Marriott to eight months in prison suspended for 18 months.

He was also made subject to an 18 month community order with 15 rehabilitation days and a 7pm till 7am curfew for six months. Marriott must also pay £122 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Mr Cunnington-Shore said: “This has been put in place as a punishment but also as a form of rehabilitation.”