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Prolific thief jailed for raiding Wolverhampton house while owners were shopping

A prolific thief has been jailed for two years seven months after breaking into a Wolverhampton house while the occupants were out shopping.

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Stephen Hughes smashed the kitchen window of the property in Havisham Drive, Compton Park with a brick and escaped with a haul that included jewellery, a watch and the key to the family's Renault Clio that was also stolen.

The 37-year-old, with 26 previous convictions involving 75 separate offences, was only freed from a prison sentence a month before committing the day time burglary on April 8, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Hughes ransacked the house and left blood stains on bedclothes that matched his DNA leading to his arrested on April 20, explained Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting.

Mr Mukhtar Ubhi, defending, said: "When he was released from the previous prison sentence there was no structure in place to support him and he went back to the life he had lived before, taking drugs."

Hughes from Goodyear Avenue, Low Hill pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed by Judge Kristina Montgomery QC who told him: "For the past decade burglary has been your 'go to' crime to fund your drug addiction. These people came hometo find your muddy footprints all over their ransacked house and personal possessions missing."

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