A serial burglar from Bilston was today beginning a three year prison sentence for a string of raids around Wolverhampton.

Patrick Rafferty, aged 21, admitted the spree while serving another jail term for burglaries. After making contact with police from prison, he confessed to burgling two houses in Aldersley and Bilston where he took car keys before driving off in family vehicles. He also got into Bradmore Post Office in Broad Lane, Wolverhampton, where he stole lottery cards, cigarettes and cash.

Rafferty, of Lombard Close, Bilston admitted three burglaries, two thefts and he asked for nine other similar offences to be taken into consideration.

They were seven burglaries at commercial premises, one attempted commercial burglary and an attempted raid on a house.

Rafferty admitted burgling a house on Aldersley Road to take a laptop, computer, mobile phone, handbag and house keys on December 7, 2008.

He also admitted stealing a Seat Leon on the same day.

He also admitted burgling a house on Prouds Lane Bilston on December 13, 2008, from where he stole a Lexus after taking the keys.

He admitted burgling Bradmore Post Office in December 2008.

Mr David Bratt, defending, said Rafferty had lead a “chaotic and nomadic” lifestyle in the past and he had committed burglaries to fund his drug habit and live from day-to-day.

But he had now decided to “clear the decks” because he was aiming to stay out of trouble with police on his release from custody.

The judge ruled that the three year term should start immediately.

In 2007, Rafferty was given a two year sentence after admitting five burglaries at small shops in the area.

Recorder Christopher Hotten QC told him at the time: “You were engaged in a campaign of burglaries.

“You were stealing cigarettes and other items that could easily be disposed of in pubs and clubs.

“These offences can be enormously disruptive to small business.”

Roller shutters were forced open at each of the premises and cigarettes worth more than £8,000 were stolen from one shop.

The burglaries caused major damage to the shops amounting to more than £10,000 in total.

Rafferty was linked to four of the five raids by blood smears he left at the scene.