A BURGLAR who taunted police for four years believing he was a step ahead of them called himself The Stalking Ransacker.

Conor Ashton - who eventually admitted to six burglaries and two aggravated burglaries just yards away from his home in Purcell Way, Colchester - left graffiti on the walls at some of the houses he raided.

Once inside he took cash and small items of value.

During the early burglaries Ashton, 23, would enter the houses only when he knew they were empty.

But by last year he began targeting women as they slept - sneaking into their houses and appearing in their bedrooms wearing a balaclava, gloves and dark clothing while armed with a knife.

He tied up two women with cable ties at their Greenstead homes and took bank cards which he used at nearby ATMs.

Police initially charged Ashton with eight counts of burglary and he denied them all.

Further charges were later brought and he admitted to some of the offences. The rest will now lie on the file.

Jailing him for 12 years, Judge Christopher Morgan said he was a danger and was particularly concerned about the nickname he had given himself, the use of cable ties, the planning of the raids and how Ashton would often rifle through the victim's underwear drawers.

He feared Ashton's behaviour was escalating and he was trying to emulate American serial killer Richard Ramirez - who went on a murder spree 40 years ago - as he had searched for him on Google.

Judge Morgan said: " “It is my judgement on the facts of these cases that you are a dangerous individual.

“You do present a risk of serious harm whether it be physical or psychological should you commit offences of a similar nature.

“You were trying to replicate a notorious criminal and had given yourself a moniker that you graffitied at the scene to taunt police.

“You told police you had committed offences and you were going to commit more because they would not catch you.

“While you have not committed a sexual offence against them but this was a pattern of behaviour that continued until the time you were caught.

“After you were caught you provided no real explanation for this behaviour."