A serial burglar has been jailed for three years for stealing electronic goods, jewellery and cash worth more than £12,000 during a three-week crime spree.

Micky Scott, 23, of East Crescent, Canvey, broke into six homes in Canvey, Leigh and Benfleet last autumn and tried to sell some of the stolen goods at a Cash Converters shop.

Basildon Crown Court heard Scott had a long criminal record, stretching back to his first burglary conviction in 2005.

Passing sentence, Recorder Rex Bryan told him: “These were clearly offences targeting houses where you thought there was property worth stealing.

“There was substantial loss to the victims in these cases.

“You were caught on October 22 and it may be fortunate for you the list of burglaries didn’t get any longer.”

The court heard Scott’s spree started on October 6, when he raided a home in Central Avenue, Canvey, stealing a laptop, earrings, a camera and cash, worth more than £1,200 in total.

On October 13, he took more than £4,000 of items, including a £1,000 ring and a £450 laptop, from a home in Holbeck Road, Canvey.

On October 17, Scott broke into a home in Woodlands Park, Leigh, taking £2,450 of electronic goods, as well as jewellery including a gold pendant and a silver bracelet.

Scott stole £2,000 in £20 notes from The Close, Benfleet, on October 21, and a £4,000 watch.

The next day, he broke into another home and tried to burgle a sixth.

Scott told the court he committed the crimes after his partner miscarried what would have been their first child.

The court heard Scott had turned to drugs and had moved out of his partner’s home at the time of his arrest.

His lawyer, Rakesh Sharma, added: “Unable to pay for drugs with the money he was earning, he started to do the only other thing he knew to get this money – to commit burglaries.”

Scott admitted six charges of burglary and one of fraud, the latter involving him trying to sell some of the goods he took from the homes.