A serial burglar – with a criminal record with more than 62 thefts and break-ins – has been jailed for six years.

Tony Jackson, 53, carried out two raids last year within months of receiving “a generous” two year suspended jail sentence.

Now a judge at Canterbury Crown Court has ruled that people needed to be protected from the 53-year-old thief.

Jackson, of Beazley Road, Ashford broke into AJ’s Auto Services in Canterbury Road, St Nicholas–at-Wade, Birchington in July last year after disguising himself as a workman.

Prosecutor Ian Foinette told how the burglar donned a Hi-Viz vest and carried a box of tools - which he then used to get inside.

While there he moved a CCTV camera to prevent himself being caught on camera while he stole a laptop and nearly £1500 in cash.

The Judge, Recorder Jason Dunn-Shaw said that the owner Allan Brockman not only lost the property and cash but had also been impacted by a loss of work.

"I have a duty to protect people and the community from your offending..." - Recorder Jason Dunn-Shaw

“He not only lost income but has had to pay out more money to install more security equipment as a result of this burglary. He has my sympathy," the judge added.

The prosecutor said that in December last year, Jackson – who was on bail for the previous offence, was caught on CCTV breaking into Dumbrells’ store in Barton Business Park, New Dover Road, Canterbury.

This time he was caught on camera pocketing £2,275 in cash during the raid, and later arrested.

But it was only on the morning of his trial that Jackson pleaded guilty to the two offences, which were committed in breach of a two year suspended sentence for similar crimes.

The judge told him that the suspended sentence “seemed to me to have been generous, given your history”.

Recorder Dunn-Shaw added that not pleading guilty to the offences until the morning of the trial had wasted time and caused unnecessary worry to potential witnesses.

The court heard that while in custody doctors had diagnosed that Jackson has a malignant tumour which would need to be removed by surgery.

The judge told him: “While I have sympathy for your medical condition that cannot prevent me passing a custodial sentence and I have a duty to protect people and the community from your offending.”

He was given sentences of three and two years for the burglaries and the judge ruled he had to serve a year of the suspended sentence – all to run consecutively, making a total of six years.

After sentencing, Detective Constable Steven Tring said: "Tony Jackson is a career criminal with a lengthy record to his name, and committed the second burglary while on bail for the first. He was also serving a 24-month suspended sentence for two previous burglaries.

"Jackson’s failure to learn from his mistakes has resulted in a lengthy term behind bars. Hopefully this will give him the time he needs to turn his life around and learn that crime does not pay."