A WORCESTER Crown Court judge has rapped police after a crook who targeted cars was bailed four times, allowing him to commit more offences.

Leon Joseph ran up a catalogue of vehicle break-ins, thefts and shed raids to feed a drugs habit.

Hereford police continually bailed him while fingerprint checks were made - despite the 24-year-old having a formidable record.

It included 37 thefts, 15 drug offences and a number of burglaries.

Judge Michael Mott slammed the bail as "highly irresponsible" before he jailed Joseph, of Brobury Close, Hereford, for four years.

"In view of his record, giving him bail was mind-boggling," said the judge. "The police are always complaining about the courts giving bail to defendants who then re-offend.

"This was a licence for him to go on offending and create more victims.

Joseph admitted three thefts, two burglaries, possession of drugs, handling stolen goods, and twice failing to surrender to bail. He asked for eight further offences to be taken into consideration.

Tracy Lloyd-Nesling, prosecuting, said Joseph was first granted bail after police found stolen goods taken from cars at his home in March last year.

After a shed burglary in Hereford he was bailed again - and then broke into another shed, disabling the alarm

Arrested, he told police he was "out of his head" on drugs and couldn't recall the break-in. But he was bailed for a third time.

Joseph then targeted two more cars but was allowed to go free on bail a fourth time while police waited for fingerprint analysis from forensic scientists.

Matthew Porter-Bryant, defending, said he was an opportunist crook but now appreciated the effect his crimes had on victims.

He planned to leave the Hereford area on his release from jail and wanted to follow his brother's example of kicking a drugs habit.

Judge Mott said he was a persistent and incorrigible offender who had to be jailed for a long period of time.