A persistent criminal who has committed more than 700 offences has been jailed for five-and-a-half years after admitting burglary.
Sentencing Ronnie Bridges, Judge Martyn Levett described him as a "recidivist" who had previously appeared in courts for 72 offences, including 38 offences of burglary, and had asked for 664 offences to be considered over the years.
He said he had given Bridges a chance by giving him a suspended prison sentence in February last year after being told by the probation service that Bridges had reached a turning point and wanted to "rehabilitate himself from a life of crime."
Within two months of being given the suspended sentence, however, Bridges had reoffended by committing a burglary at a house in Barn Close, Carlton Colville on April 12.
"I don't believe you listened to a word I said," said the judge.
Bridges, 39, of no fixed address, admitted burglary, theft of a bank card, two offences of fraud and breach of a suspended sentence. He asked for four offences to be considered.
Christopher Edginton, 22, of Eastwood Avenue, Lowestoft, also appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on May 9, where he admitted burglary at a house in Uplands Road North in Carlton Colville on December 5. He asked for seven offences to be considered and was jailed for three years.
Neil King, prosecuting, said the burglary in Barn Close, Carlton Colville happened during the afternoon.
Access was gained by breaking a conservatory window and cash and jewellery to the value of £9,000 was stolen.
Bridges was interviewed by police after his DNA was found on a screwdriver left at the premises.
The court heard that police were called to Uplands Road North, in Carlton Colville near Lowestoft, at 5.35pm on Wednesday, December 5 after entry had been forced into a home and a wide screen television, iMac computer, iPad, laptop, jewellery valued at more than £4,000 had been stolen.
A neighbour saw a car parked outside the property and two men loading a flat screen television into the vehicle.
The neighbour confronted the men and had tried to prevent them driving off.
Natasha Nair, mitigating for Bridges, said her client had committed the offences because he feared he had bowel cancer but he had since been given the all clear and disgnosed with Crohn's disease.
Kelly Fernandez-Lee, mitigating for Edginton, said he had committed the burglary after getting in with the wrong crowd.
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