A Wirral man who went on a burglary spree in the Bebington area has been jailed for two years eight months.

Paul Ellison, who has previous convictions for burglaries, was caught after he broke into or tried to break into seven homes in the early hours of the morning.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that it was while in prison for earlier offences that he became addicted to the legal high Spice.

When he was freed he went to live with his mum. “He has a long standing drink problem and the two addictions got the better of him and their relationship broke down and he ended up on the streets for two months,” said his lawyer John Weate.

He committed the offences out of desperation and wanted to apologise for his actions, he added.

33-year-old Ellison, formerly of Whetstone Lane, Birkenhead, pleaded guilty to burgling a house in Brackenwood Road and stealing property including a laptop, cash and purse and breaking into a house in Teasdale Road and stealing a television set.

He also admitted possessing cannabis and had five burglaries or attempted burglaries taken into consideration, Kim Egerton, prosecuting, said that police received reports about some of the burglaries in the early hours of December 19 last year and officers went to the Teasdale Road area with a police dog.

The targeted properties included some in that road, Brackenwood Road, Heather Road and Cedar Road.

Ellison was spotted walking along with a rucksack and on seeing the officers he threw it to the ground and fled. He was chased and caught and said, “okay, you’ve got me.”

When the rucksack was searched stolen items including a laptop and credit cards.

Miss Egerton said that some of the victims did not know they had been burgled until the police called at their homes but one victim was aware of their bedroom door moving and then heard sounds downstairs.

Jailing him Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “You clearly set out on a burglary expedition.”

He said that while some victims slept through the break-in others were disturbed by noises. “It is very frightening to wake up and learn that someone is in your house.”