Prolific burglar plagued dozens of businesses

Kevin Thoburn had more than 150 offences on his criminal record

A serial burglar who plagued dozens of businesses has been jailed after breaching three suspended prison sentences with his latest spree.

Kevin Thoburn, 44, smashed windows and raided five "small independent" businesses in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, in June stealing hundreds of pounds including cash from a charity jar, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

At the time Thoburn, who had previously been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, was subject to suspended sentences for similar break-ins in Gateshead and Jarrow.

Homeless Thoburn, who had more than 150 offences on his criminal record, was jailed for three years four months after admitting multiple burglaries.

In the early hours of 2 June, Thoburn broke into two delis, a fish and chip shop, barber business and bakery in Monkseaton, prosecutor Antonia Adie said.

In total he stole about £1,700 in cash, including £58 from a tip jar and £40 from a charity box, as well as causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage, the court heard.

All of the businesses suffered further losses as they had to be closed for repairs and clean ups after Thoburn's "messy" searches, Ms Adie said.

The barber shop owner said the break-in had had a "significant emotional and financial impact" on the "small family-owned business", while the fish and chip shop manager said he was "left feeling really annoyed and angry".

'Failed to register'

Thoburn was subject to three suspended prison sentence orders at the time made by two magistrates' courts and the crown court, the prosecutor said.

Those related to burglaries of a beauty salon, butcher shop, pottery studio and three barber shops in a one-night spree in Gateshead in November in which he stole cash and items worth £2,250, the court heard.

He has also used a hammer to smash his way into Greggs at the Viking Centre in Jarrow and a cafe in South Shields a week later.

Thoburn also admitted multiple breaches of sex offender requirements because, as a homeless convicted child abuser, he had failed to register at a police station every seven days.

That order was made to last indefinitely in 2016 after he was jailed for six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, the court heard.

'Left misery in wake'

Judge Amanda Rippon said Thoburn had 70 burglaries on his record and a further 30 or so he had asked to take into consideration, which meant by her calculation he had been convicted of raiding at least 100 businesses.

She said he targeted "small independent" firms, many of whom operated on a "knife-edge" and needed "every penny" they earned.

"You left misery for the owners in your wake," the judge told Thoburn, adding the impact was "long-lasting and significant".

Judge Rippon said she accepted much of his offending stemmed from a drug addiction caused by "awful abuse" he was subjected to as a child.

However, she said he had to "come a point" when he acknowledged the damage caused in his past but made "a choice to no longer let that define who you are and what you do".

She said other judges and magistrates had tried to give him a chance with suspended sentences but he was not ready for the help they offered.