A CAREER criminal with 130 offences to his name is back behind bars after he burgled a Christian bookshop and a guest house.

Leighton Hodge, 38, from Newport, was jailed for more than two years after he admitted carrying out the raids in the city.

David Pinnell, prosecuting, said the defendant smashed his way into Shepherd's Christian Bookshop on Lower Dock Street during the early hours of the morning.

He was identified by police officers after he was captured on CCTV breaking into the store where he stole costume jewellery.

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Cardiff Crown Court heard how Hodge also raided the Annesley guest house on Caerleon Road where he made off with a £500 laptop.

Hodge, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary which were committed between November 13 and 14.

Mr Pinnell said the defendant had 61 previous convictions for 130 offences.

Of these, 23 were for theft and related offences, 32 for non-dwelling burglaries and three for dwelling burglaries.

Hodge was jailed for 32 months in May 2018 for a dwelling burglary.

Ben Waters, mitigating, said his client, who suffered with drug misuse problems, had tried to start a new life in Devon.

But, his barrister told the court, the defendant had been ordered to return to Newport by the Probation Service to comply with his licence conditions.

Mr Waters added: “He fell back into contact with his old associates which regrettably resulted in further offending.

“The defendant wishes to apologise to the complainants and victims in this case.

“His best mitigation is his guilty pleas.”

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Hodge: “This is a very sad story. Your addiction to drugs has been your downfall.”

He jailed him for 876 days and ordered him to pay a £190 victim surcharge upon his release from prison.