Today we reveal the six men who are behind more then 850 offences in Plymouth. They are the city's most prolific criminals.

They have been in and out of prison for a string of offences - usually thefts and burglaries.

The offenders had chalked up 844 crimes by the time they last appeared in court over that last two years.

The men, and they are all men, have repeatedly failed to change their ways. So much so that sometimes nobody is quite sure just how many offences they have chalked up.

All have struggled with drink and drugs and will stop at nothing to fuel their addictions.

276 offences: drink and drug-fuelled burglar Justin Grant

A former boat skipper has chalked up a mind-boggling 276 drink and drug-fuelled offences - mostly theft and burglary.

Justin Grant last year stole bikes from Rockets and Rascals on the Barbican and Halfords in the city centre to help pay off a drug debt.

He was remanded before sentence but a merciful judge handed him a suspended prison sentence  in April last year with probation help to sort out his problems.

Justin Grant faces another jail sentence for his 276th offence
Justin Grant faces another jail sentence for his 276th offence

Grant, who said he hoped to get back to work at sea, had been to jail scores of times.

Grant, 47, pleaded guilty to the Barbican burglary which took place between February 13 and February 16 last year.

He also asked for another offence of stealing a £300 bicycle from Halfords on January 18 to be taken into consideration.

Plymouth Crown Court heard back in July 2016 – when Grant was jailed for stealing alcohol worth thousands of pounds from shops – that he worked as a crabber and held a skipper’s licence.

Plymouth's experienced resident judge Paul Darlow said it was one of the worst records he had ever seen.

Resident judge Paul Darlow at Plymouth Crown Court
The case is being heard by resident judge Paul Darlow at Plymouth Crown Court

Grant, last reported living in Lockyer Street, the Hoe, was said to have cleaned up his act somewhat by April last year. By that stage he had 77 convictions - many for multiple offences.

Judge James Townsend said with some understatement: "You have a very long history of appearing before this court for this type of offence and we have to sentence you again.

"You have been trying to deal with your drug problem and given that and the full, helpful and positive report before the court today and in light of your list of your previous convictions while under post-release supervision I'm giving you a suspended sentence of eight months."

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218 offences: alcoholic racist thief Rupert Jones

Alcoholic Rupert Jones has been jailed for racially abusing a man – chalking up his 218th offence.

Plymouth magistrates locked up the vile heroin user for nine weeks as he admitted his latest three crimes.

Racist alcoholic Rupert Jones has been jailed for offences 215 to 218
Racist alcoholic Rupert Jones has been jailed for offences 216 to 218

He has only recently been released from his last prison sentence, imposed for eating a stolen cheese twist in Tesco and attacking staff.

The homeless 58-year-old again spurted racist filth at those staff.

Jones has now pleaded guilty to offences number 216, 217 and 218, all on January 5.

He admitted racially-aggravated threatening behaviour towards a man and possession of a small amount of heroin.

Jones also pleaded guilty to breaching his Anti-Social Behaviour Order by entering the Union Rooms when he is banned from the city centre. He has 42 breaches of the order in six and a half years.

Magistrates stated that he had to go to jail because of his previous record of 123 convictions – separate court appearances which can include several offences.

The Union Rooms

Jones was also ordered to pay £115 victim surcharge.

He was jailed for 12 months in June and would only have been released at the half-way point of that sentence weeks ago.

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More than 150 offences: Prolific thief has 40-year criminal career

A career criminal with more than 150 previous offences is back in trouble – this time for stealing razor blades.

Prolific thief Harry Chown, aged 55, has battled with heroin addiction for years and has offences going back to the 70s.

He had been out of trouble for a couple of years but has just been dragged back before Plymouth magistrates last month.

Harry Chown pictured in 2012 when he claimed to have changed his ways
Harry Chown pictured in 2012 when he claimed to have changed his ways

Chown, of North Road West, Stonehouse, pleaded guilty to theft of razor blades worth £90 belonging to Superdrug on January 25.

He was handed a 12-month community order with the Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for 10 days – probation supervision to try and resolve his problems.

Chown was jailed for 44 months back in April 2017, meaning he is likely to have been released within the last few months.

He broke into a couple's home during their Golden Wedding anniversary celebrations and ransacked the bedroom kept as a shrine to their late son.

Chown left the family distressed after going into the room, which had been kept intact for three years in his memory, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

Harry Chown has been repeatedly jailed for burglary
Harry Chown has been repeatedly jailed for burglary

The chronic heroin addict, with about 150 offences on his record, ransacked several rooms and left blood around the house.

Chown has so many crimes going back to the 1970s that records in court varied two years ago – between 147 and 151 offences in either 66 or 67 convictions.

Most of the offences have been thefts, chalking up eight burglaries. He has served well over 30 prison sentences.

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133 offences: vile burglar Peter Smith was pinned down by pensioners

Hero pensioners who caught a vile burglar in retirement flats were praised for their bravery – as a thief was jailed for a massive six-and-a-half years.

Former policeman Don Davies, aged 79, and former judo fighter Joe Osborne, aged 76, restrained red-handed career criminal Peter Smith.

Jailed: prolific burglar Peter Smith
Jailed: prolific burglar Peter Smith

They chased the 50-year-old down five flights of stairs before Mr Osborne threw him to the floor.

The pair held on for several minutes despite low-life Smith spitting at Mr Osborne and biting his chest.

A judge today rewarded each man £150 from public funds for their bravery in thwarting the burglar at Wesley Court in Millbay Road.

Outside Plymouth Crown Court, Mr Davies said of Smith: “He is a piece of filth. Now he is where he should be.”

Cowardly Smith has chalked up 133 offences in his career.

He was convicted on this occasion of three counts of burglary and assault causing actual bodily harm  after the offences on September 16 last year.

Joe Osborne and Don Davies have told a jury they restrained a burglar
Joe Osborne and Don Davies have told a jury they restrained a burglar

Judge Paul Darlow told the hearing that Smith had targeted elderly folk at the retirement flats – some of whom are deaf and blind.

He added: “Unfortunately for him, her chose the premises of Mr Davies, a retired police officer.

“He showed remarkable peace of mind, courage and stamina in pursuing Mr Smith.”

Moaning Smith sacked his barrister before his trial.

He told the sentencing hearing that he could not “handle it” and asked for the case to be adjourned.

But Judge Darlow said that the only mitigation was the fact that he could not simply add all the individual sentences together to make a total.

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71 offences: drug addict Ian McFarlane burgles church and the homes of the elderly

Ian McFarlane has been jailed for a string of 13 burglaries
Ian McFarlane has been jailed for a string of 13 burglaries

 

A drug addict has been jailed for more than five years for leaving a trail of misery after 13 burglaries – at homes, shops and even a church.

Shameless Ian McFarlane, aged 49, stole belongings worth thousands in a seven-month spree to feed his crack cocaine habit.

He grabbed anything he thought may be of value, from expensive watches to Scout memorabilia.

The career criminal cut a swathe through Launceston before moving on to steal from homes in Plymouth, the city’s Crown Court heard.

McFarlane also sneaked into a social club and student halls.

Jailing him for five years and three months, Judge James Townsend last year said his record was “formidable” including six home burglaries before his latest spree.

St Mary and Magdalen Church in Launceston
St Mary and Magdalen Church in Launceston

He added: “You are a career burglar. These sort of offences cause misery to a large number of offences.”

McFarlane, of Armada Street, Greenbank, pleaded guilty to nine burglaries and four attempted burglaries over seven months.

That adds to 71 offences on his previous convictions.

He usually smashed his way into empty homes during the day but was tracked down largely by DNA left at the scenes of his crimes.

Police and prosecutors said that he targeted the homes of the elderly.

But he stooped so low as to burgle the parish offices of Launceston’s listed St Mary and Magdalen Church, looking for something to steal between February 9 and February 12.

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Burglar William Butler found passed out in pirate ship surrounded by plunder

A burglar who started his criminal career at the age of just 11 has been thrown into irons for his latest string of break-ins.

William Butler, aged 52, was found passed out in a children's play park pirate ship surrounded by stolen goods , Plymouth Crown Court heard last year.

It would almost have been funny but for the devastating impact on his victims.

A judge did not see the joke, jailing him for four years and three months for a string of offences.

He was found guilty of burgling four homes and one count of aggravated vehicle taking.

William Butler, also known as Broughton
William Butler, also known as Broughton

Sentencing him Recorder Paul Grumbar read statements from some of his victims.

One woman said that nine months on she felt that she would never feel safe in her own flat.

The judge said: “He seems to have spent a lifetime committing offences starting, I believe, when he was aged 11.”

Butler, also known as Broughton, was jailed for burglary in 2006, 2013 and 2015. On one spree he committed more than 30 break-ins.

He denied four burglaries and aggravated vehicle taking between April and November 2017 but then refused to attend his trial at Plymouth Crown Court. He also refused to leave his cell to be sentenced.

The trial heard a police officer found Butler sleeping in Trefusis Park in Efford at about 9.45am on November 22. She was sent there because residents were worried about his condition.

The pirate boat in Trefusis Park
The pirate boat in Trefusis Park

Butler was on his back with his head hanging out of the pirate boat pointing down the slide.

The constable identified him by his bank card and paperwork lying around him in the name of William Butler. The career criminal roused himself and ran away.

But he left behind a voucher and pills in the name of the victim of a burglary in Stonehouse a few hours earlier.

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