A PROLIFIC burglar who committed an offence in Winchcombe has been jailed.

Martin Payne, was sentenced for several offences including in The Finches in Greet, near Winchcombe where he smashed his way through the backdoor of a house and stole various items of jewellery which were of sentimental value to the victims.

Payne, 37, stole the items on Saturday April 8.

The man from Bleakhouse Road, Oldbury was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on Monday October 2 to five years in prison after he was found guilty of committing three burglaries in Winchcombe and Brockworth.

Payne was also sentenced for driving whilst disqualified between Tewkesbury and Birmingham.

Officer in charge of the case Sergeant Chris Barnes said: “I am pleased with the sentences handed down today. Payne is a prolific criminal well known to the West Midlands area but who had a significant impact in our county.

“Payne smashed his way into two houses, and stole items that were of a high sentimental value to the victims, it was only through the good work of officers from Tewkesbury Local Policing Area, Tri-Force and Central Motorway Police Group, that Payne was brought to justice and some of the stolen items were recovered."

During a burglary in Court Road, Brockworth on Wednesday May 17, Payne smashed the glass conservatory doors of the house before entering and stealing a PS4 console, eight games, jewellery, a Samsung TV remote, a bottle of Jameson whisky and a quantity of cash.

The final burglary, which happened between Wednesday May 17 and Sunday May 21, saw Payne smash the rear facing French doors of a property in Nightjar Road in Brockworth before stealing jewellery from a bedroom.

Leanna Hadley, 39 and of Edinburgh Road, Oldbury, was sentenced to a community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement after handling stolen goods from the burglaries in Brockworth.

Payne was already wanted by the police after a DNA test matched him to the burglary in Winchcombe and after breaking in to the two houses in Brockworth, Payne and Hadley were detained in a car at Strensham Services whilst making their way back to Birmingham.

A vehicle search was conducted and officers found woollen gloves containing the jewellery stolen from the two properties in Brockworth behind the car stereo.