A CAREER burglar who targeted 58 homes in the Braintree area to fund a £200-a-day drug habit and nearly ran over a police officer while trying to escape has been jailed for more than six years.
Whilst free on licence from a four-year prison stretch, David Howard, 48, who has 130 previous convictions, quit his probation halfway house in Brighton for Braintree in December last year, launching a one-man crimewave of break-ins over a two-month period.
On March 10 a police constable saw Howard and a man he was staying with in Braintree smoking drugs in a car parked in Godlings Way, where they were waiting after buying heroin and crack.
But when the officer tapped on the window, Howard sped away in reverse, almost running over the PC who had to jump out of the way.
The car was then driven backwards down Godlings Way to London Road, where Howard sped off the wrong way round a roundabout and collided with another car, damaging the rear wheel, in Queenborough Lane.
Both men fled the vehicle. Police said Howard injured his hand in the crash and tried to conceal it with a football he found on the ground.
When officers searched the car they discovered a treasure trove of stolen items from recent burglaries, which linked Howard to unsolved investigations.
Howard was apprehended at the scene of a burglary four days later in Kenworthy Road, after a police helicopter searched the area following reports of suspicious activity.
The goods stolen had an estimated value of £70,000 and included cash, jewellery, watches, XBox games and naval medals, and Howard had caused £16,000 of damage to property during the raids too.
He admitted five counts of burglary, one count of attempted burglary and charges of dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
"All these burglaries were conducted with messy searches of the houses, breaking or climbing through windows, one victim has said she no longer feels she can leave her home unattended after what happened," said Margia Mustafa, prosecuting.
"He wanted to get away from police and didn't want to be arrested. The defendant needed to fund his £200-a-day drug habit and that is why he committed these offences."
Howard asked for a further 53 offences to be taken into consideration by Judge Anthony Goldstaub, including 40 dwelling burglaries, 12 attempted burglaries and one criminal damage.
"It's a sad picture, but when detained he immediately told officers he wanted to be rid of this terrible habit, clear up his past and start a new life and assisted police with outstanding crimes," said Frank O'Toole, mitigating.
"If he hadn't voluntarily helped police victims would never have recovered their stolen items."
Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Friday that Howard had 130 previous convictions dating back to 1980 for burglary, theft, criminal damage and grievous bodily harm, plus 80 motoring offences.
Sentencing him Judge Goldstaub said: "You have the record of a career burglar stretching back many years and you committed them as the result of some addictions.
"Remorseful persons such as yourself whilst in prison should avail yourself of the facilities to assist drug addicts, and when released you will make use of the treatment facilities available."
Howard was sentenced to 76 months in prison for the burglaries and two months consecutively for the driving offences, plus he was ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge.
