A prolific burglar has been jailed under the 'three strike rule' after being caught looting a house in Felixstowe.

36-year-old James Regan was spotted going into a house in Crescent Road, on Sunday July 26, and police were quickly on the scene to catch him red-handed after finding a ladder propped against the rear wall of the house leading up to an open window.

Regan, of Shrub End Rad, Colchester admitted the offence via video link from Chelmsford prison and was jailed for 876 days (almost two years and four months) at Ipswich Crown Court.

The court heard Regan has a long standing drug addiction problem and was a serial offender with 38 convictions for 88 offences, including eight previous convictions for burglary had been sent to jail three times; in 2013 for 42months, 33 months in 2015 and three years in 2017.

Regan had previously absconded from Hollesley Bay Open Prison and return to jail in January 2018.

Due to his long string of offences Regan was liable for a minimum three year sentence under the three strike rule, but judge Emma Peters, took into account his early admission to this latest burglary, and that there were no aggravating factors, such as any vandalism, and lowered the jail term.

Prosecutor Karl Voltz, outlined how the owner of the rental house was watching from their neighbouring home as Regan went from room to room, switching on lights and stuffing a TV, drill and food into a bag on the kitchen table.

In mitigation, a letter addressed to the court from Regan's mother, told of her son's mental health issues, which had not been helped by his struggle with drug addiction from a relatively young age.

• Stephen Savage from Felixstowe, who was arrested by police at the scene of the burglary, will appear in court separately.

Read here how Nub News reported how police were quick on the scene to the burglary in July.