A BURGLAR who stole a sports car before going on a 13-home spree has been jailed – although his accomplice still remains at large.

Adam Prendegast targeted the homes in towns and villages near Winchester over the space of few hours, stealing mostly jewellery, as well as a second car.

Winchester Crown Court heard that, despite being only 29, Prendegast, from Sheerness in Kent, had been convicted of 80 offences dating back to 2004, including non-dwelling burglaries, criminal damage and theft.

The court heard how, after targeting a home in Oxfordshire on January 11, where he stole an Audi TT, he and an accomplice drove to Hampshire using false registration plates on January 15.

Planning out the spree beforehand, the pair smashed windows and stole various items from homes in Alresford, Cheriton and Medstead.

Among the more than £20,000 worth of items stolen were a £4,600 ring, a £5,800 guitar and a Ford Fiesta.

Prosecuting, Simon Foster said that the exact amount stolen would have been no less than £23,000 but he did not have a full list of the items.

The court also heard that Prendegast was on licence from prison at the time.

Mitigating, Julia Mackworth said that this was his first experience of dwelling burglaries, despite an extensive criminal history.

Ms Mackworth added that Prendegast had a drug addiction which put him in debt, and that he had gone along with his accomplice, who has not yet been caught by police, rather than masterminding the spree himself.

Sentencing Prendegast to six years in prison, Judge Keith Cutler said: “This is a development of your bad character. I really hope you understand the enormous distress that this has caused.

“Hampshire looks to me to protect the county from burglaries, the story [residents] will hear is something that strikes horror into their thoughts.”