A bungling burglar has been jailed for six years after he failed to steal cash from a cash machine at a filling station.

Glen Farlam used special equipment to try to break into the ATM at Richborough service station at Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, in the early hours of June 8 - just three days after he was released from prison.

The 34-year-old admitted burglary with intent to steal. He denied burglary at Subway in Ramsgate Road on June 3 in which a safe was stolen, and the charge was left on file.

Prosecutor David Hewitt told Maidstone Crown Court covert listening devices had been installed at the filling station on June 7.

The next day officers found a crowbar in the ATM “bunker”. A stolen BMW car fitted with false number plates was nearby.

Mr Hewitt said Farlam, formerly of Osbourne Road, Dartford, had been released on licence on June 5, having served five years and three months for burglary involving a series of raids with others on ATMs, which netted no cash but caused extensive damage.

His DNA was found on the crowbar at the filling station. Fireworks, crowbars and angle grinders were in the boot of the car. His fingerprints were on a bin liner.

Mr Hewitt said there had been an attempt to cut into the ATM using oxy-acetylene welding gear.

CCTV footage showed two men at the filling station but not the actual attempts to steal cash from it.

Farlam, of Howard Avenue, Bexley, was arrested at his home on September 15.

He has a “lengthy list” of previous convictions including the attempted burglary conviction at Canterbury Crown Court in March 2012.

Recorder David Jeremy QC described Farlam as “a habitual criminal”.