Prolific burglar James Coughlan flouted coronavirus lockdown rules to twice loot Hinckley's branch of WHSmith.

The 44-year-old had recently been released from jail on licence - the conditions of which barred him from entering the town centre.

But he was picked up on CCTV cameras sauntering nonchalantly around the deserted town before entering WHSmith, in Castle Street, at night and again the next morning.

Anthony Cheung, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court that an unknown burglar initially broke into the WHSmith shop on Saturday, March 28.

Coughlan had been told the thief dropped money outside and he went retrieve £40 on the pavement.

The defendant later returned to burgle the premises himself - taking unknown cash and scratch cards.

He then returned early the next morning to help himself to more items.

Appearing at court via a video link from prison, Coughlan, of Lynton Court, King Street, Barwell, admitted two burglaries and one theft from WHSmith on March 28 and 29.

'May have been accidentally blinded'

Mystery surrounded how he sustained an injury at the time of the raids, leaving him blinded in one eye, the court was told.

Coughlan claimed it was when he was beaten up and forced to commit the burglaries because of drug debts.

But the judge suggested it may have happened accidentally while he was committing the break-ins.

The court heard the defendant had 84 crimes on his criminal record, including burglary and theft offences.

Judge Martin Hurst said: "On March 23 the Prime Minister of this country ordered, or asked, us all to stay indoors.

"Five days later you weren't indoors, you were sauntering in a nonchalant fashion through the streets of Hinckley, where you'd been barred from going.

"You came out of prison for burglary offences (on January 20) and went straight back to a life of crime."

'We were all supposed to be indoors'

"You're a career burglar, appearing on an almost annual basis before these courts," the judge continued.

"You say someone told you they'd committed a burglary at WHSmith and that if you went there you'd find some money on the ground outside.

"Not satisfied with that, you went back at 11pm and entered through a broken window and tried to get into all the locked drawers and were there for a considerable time - it's all caught on CCTV.

"You stole cash and scratchcards and you returned the following morning at about 6am and took anything you could find of value inside.

"The streets of Hinckley were completely deserted because we were all supposed to be indoors."

Judge Hurst said: "The effect of the lockdown on commercial traders is they fear their premises are vulnerable to people like you and your friends.

"Because you had the streets to yourselves you decided to behave in that way.

"It's been suggested you committed offences under some form of quasi-duress and it was caused by the people forcing you to commit offences because you owed them money for drugs.

"I don't accept for a moment that was why - you were more than willing to commit these offences for your own personal gain.

"I've read a report that you've suffered injury to your eye, for which there is some sympathy.

"But you've given two accounts (of the cause) one of which (given to a doctor) indicates some glass fell onto you when you went through a door.

"I asked your counsel, Mr Lee, if it happened as you were committing the burglary and, on your behalf, he has denied that.

"I accept the reason you committed the offences was because of your addiction to drugs."

'He's lost his sight, it is a form of punishment'

Kim Lee, mitigating, said Coughlan was injured by people forcing him to commit the burglaries to pay off a drugs debt and the prognosis was "not good."

"He's lost his sight (in one eye) and so it is a form of punishment anyway," he said.

"He accepts he's going to receive a lengthy sentence.

"When he eventually leaves prison he has a good lady standing by him and they have aspirations to move to Somerset - and he wants to do things her way this time and not get into trouble again.

"He's in desperate need of rehabilitation."

Coughlan was jailed for two years.