A BURGLAR who smashed his way out of a Worcester garage in a stolen Mercedes after an overnight burglary spree has been jailed.

Drug addict Francis Kenny, aged 44, broke into the Mercedes Benz garage in Hindlip Lane at 1am on June 22 this year, Worcester Crown Court was told.

He loaded up one of the cars at the garage with tyres, alloy wheels and items from vending machines and merchandising cabinets, before driving "at speed" through a roller shutter door as he tried to smash his way out of the premises.

Unable to get through the garage's front gate, Kenny drove round the forecourt looking for an escape route, smashing into five cars, one of which had to be written off. At one point he tried to build "a makeshift bridge" over a fence to make his getaway.

But when that failed, he waited for staff to arrive in the morning and sped out through the gate as they unlocked it. He was spotted by police as he barged out of a side road into nearby Droitwich Road and was arrested.

Michael Conry, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court, said Kenny had caused "tens of thousands of pounds" worth of damage.

He said Kenny had been on a "burglary spree" in the area. Earlier, he had broken into a caravan used by workmen building two detached houses in Bath Road and stolen a toaster, a toasted sandwich maker, tea, coffee and sugar, Michael Conry, prosecuting, said.

He also caused damage costing £300 to some double glazing and flooring before taking the stolen goods and going on to the garage.

He broke in through a toilet window and went into a workshop through some offices, Mr Conry said.

He then raided vending machines and Mercedes Benz merchandising cabinets, loading everything into one of the cars along with some tyres and alloy wheels.

"Once it was full, he got into another vehicle and drove at speed towards the roller shutter doors leading out to the forecourt to get away," Mr Conry said. "The door broke off its hinges and he drove out looking for an exit."

After failing to escape, he went back to the first vehicle containing the stolen goods and waited for staff to arrive.

Kenny pleaded guilty to four charges of burglary, possessing cannabis, taking a vehicle without consent and driving with no licence or insurance.

The court heard he had a long record of convictions dating back to 1992 and had been in and out of prison. He committed the burglary offences a few days after being released on licence.

Jason Aris, defending, said Kenny, of no fixed address, had been addicted to heroin and crack cocaine for many years.

He had kicked the habit in 2012 for a couple of years and had found work as a scaffolder and restored with his relationship with his two children but had slipped back again into addiction.

"He now feels he's getting too old for this and must make a concerted effort to change his behaviour," Mr Aris said.

Judge Christopher Plunkett said Kenny had been on a "burglary spree" and had caused a "vast amount of damage likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds."

He was given a total of 28 months in prison.