A PROLIFIC burglar and career criminal was told by a judge he caused “shocking misery” and had “cost the country a fortune” as he was jailed for more than five years.

David Errington clashed with Judge Sean Morris after being sentenced for two burglaries he had denied, but was convicted of following a trial, and other offences including drugs and fraud.

Errington was accused of showing no remorse for his offending at the conclusion of his trial at Teesside Crown Court.

But the unrepentant defendant bit back at the judge, stating: “I do – you are wrong”.

Then when being sent down, he shouted: “See you at the re-trial”, to which Judge Morris replied: “Get a grip”.

Errington, 37, of Cobden Street, Darlington, crept into the staff room of The Lawns care home, in Darlington, on the night of March 11 this year and took bank cards and lottery scratch cards from a bag belonging to a member of staff.

The same month he snuck into the house of a mother and daughter in Nairn Close, Darlington while they were present in another room and and made off with their handbags.

The long time drug addict also admitted a burglary at the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form college in Darlington on February 19, stealing a bag and coat, and making false representations in respect of stolen bank/credit cards.

They were used at premises including Asda and at the B&G mini market in Darlington.

Errington denied further offences of supplying class A and class C drugs with intent to supply, which he was cleared of, but admitted simple possession and was also sentenced for these offences.

In October 2016 he was jailed for 14 months after leading police on a hair-raising six-mile tea-time pursuit in Darlington during which failed to give way, contravened red lights, and drove on the wrong-side of the road.

At that time he had 51 convictions for 157 criminal offences, which the Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton described as a “huge record”.

Mitigating, Paul Newcombe said Errington was a drug addict, but having spend the last two and-a-half months on remand at Durham Prison had managed to wean himself off.

He said: “He is optimistic for the future. He is his in his mid 30s, getting older and realises that this sort of life is getting past him.”

Judge Morris gave Errington the substantive part of his sentence for the burglaries and set his jail term at five years, three months in total.