A MAN has been jailed for two years for a series of offences after he was caught out by his own electronic tag.

Essex Police has become the first force in the UK to give live evidence from a Buddi tag to a court during the prosecution of bungling career criminal Darren Girling.

Girling, 38, of Harridge Road, Leigh, volunteered to wear a Buddi tag on his ankle as a condition of having his movements monitored after being given an eight-year deferred sentence for committing 80 residential burglaries in 2013.

But Girling carried on offending, unaware that the GPS system in the tag could precisely pinpoint his position all day, every day.

As a result of the evidence, he was sentenced for two charges of perverting the course of justice, two counts of cannabis production, criminal damage to his tag, six charges of stealing from motor vehicles, fraud and making threats against a police officer.

Basildon Crown Court heard on Friday that Girling had twice triggered speed cameras on a 30mph stretch of the A13 in Leigh.

His Piaggio scooter was recorded at 41 mph at the same camera on November 17 and 18 in 2013.

On both occasions Girling claimed that it was not his machine and that the number plate had been cloned on to a similar scooter.

But checks on his Buddi tag showed him as being at the precise spot on the A13 at the times the cameras were activated.

Girling was also sentenced for being involved in growing cannabis at addresses at Canvey and Leigh.

Evidence from the tag was used to pinpoint Girling’s regular visits to one of the sites at Harridge Road, Leigh after he initially denied being involved.

He was also charged with stealing from parked motor vehicles, four at Brentwood where he took handbags and a laptop and two in Basildon where tools and a handbag were stolen.

Girling was also charged with making threats against a police officer, fraud and a further charge of causing criminal damage to the tag when he cut it off his ankle when he realised how accurate it was in recording his movements.

After the hearing Det Sgt Darren Ward described how the GPS information was given as evidence when Girling had pleaded not guilty to one of the cannabis cultivation charges.

He said: "The software inside the tag shows a person’s progress on a map and gives the exact location. The information was shown to the court in connection with the cannabis growing site at Leigh and showed that Girling made regular visits to the property.

"The tag was also able to record the time and location when Girling managed to cut it from his ankle, providing evidence of the criminal damage charge.”

Adam Pipe, casualty reduction manager for Essex Police, praised the work of PC Roy Keyes who investigated the two speed camera offences.

He said: "Girling made numerous false claims to try to avoid the speeding fines. He claimed he was not the rider, that the scooter had been cloned and that he was elsewhere when the offences happened. Even when we had the evidence from the tag he claimed it was not accurate.

"PC Keyes persevered with the investigation and when he checked evidence stored on the Buddi tag system it showed Girling on the A13 precisely at the times the cameras activated.

"This is another example of people trying to avoid paying a fine and thinking they will get away with it. The cameras are in place for road safety reasons and we will continue to ensure that drivers are brought to justice if they try to flout the law.”