A prolific criminal who has spent the vast majority of the last seventeen years behind bars has again been locked up for a string of attempted thefts and burglary.

Chronic alcoholic John Kirk was living in homeless in the rear of a van on a garage forecourt in Darlington when he was spotted trying the door handles of a number of vehicles in Darlington.

The 53-year-old was found carrying a lock knife when police turned up in Chesnut Street after he was spotted acting suspiciously near Billau Motorcycles on September 10 last year.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said the following day after his release on bail the defendant was caught trying the front door of a house on West Auckland Road in the town before rifling through a car.

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Kirk, of Elmfield Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary, four charges of vehicle interference and possession of a bladed article.

The Northern Echo: John KirkJohn Kirk (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Emma William, in mitigation, said her client was a chronic alcoholic who had been diagnosed with a serious liver condition while he was serving time on remand.

She added: “These offences started when he became homeless after he was asked to leave the address where he was living. He was asked to leave because of his alcohol addiction.

“He had been living in a van on the forecourt of at the time.”

The court heard that the defendant had also breached the terms of a suspended sentence after committing the latest offences.

Judge Anthony James Brown sentenced him to a total of 30 months for all charges.

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“Your history is a sad and depressing one,” he said. “You were a child in care and for a number of years you have struggled with problems with drugs and alcohol and that explains a great deal of the offending that you have been involved in.

“At the time you were homeless and you continued to have significant issues with substance misuse particularly alcohol misuse. Your life has been ravaged by these problems.

“All but 18 months of the last 17 years have been spent in custody and as a result of that you have been recalled to prison for further offences of burglary.

“Whilst in prison, the impact on your life and lifestyle is that you have suffered two cardiac arrests, liver failure and the prognosis for your future is bleak.”