A travelling burglar who has caused “untold misery, hurt and pain” through a lifetime of crime is back behind bars after being caught on a Hampshire road.

A VW Golf stolen in Rowlands Castle was key to a spate of vehicle crimes and thefts that Edward Parker carried out around East and Mid Hampshire.

Parker was jailed for 14 months and 12 weeks by a judge last Friday at Winchester Crown Court after admitting to stealing two vehicles.

He also admitted to stealing from six motor vehicles and pleaded guilty to two counts apiece of driving whilst disqualified, using a MV without third party insurance, and single charges of dangerous and drink driving.

The 44-year-old of Pippin Drive, Chesterton, Cambridgeshire, is no stranger to Hampshire as a prison sentence he received in 2019 included the theft of car from Bramdean the summer before.

His latest jaunt began on May 23 when he stole the front and rear number plates of a Ford Transit van in Wickham.

Handbags, with one containing a mobile phone, driving licence and car keys, were stolen from cars in Wickham and Sparsholt on consecutive days before the theft of the VW Golf in Rowlands Castle on the 26th.

A vehicle in Petersfield was also targeted around the same time with number plates being stolen along with a camera, iPhone, MacBook and bank cards.

Parker was arrested the same day after the Golf was picked up using ANPR with police vehicles and a helicopter being deployed.

“There was a pursuit and tyres were directly punctured, but he drove dangerously and didn’t stop,” said Mr Rolf, prosecuting, with the location of the chase not being revealed to the court.

“The defendant drove on the wrong side of the road, collided with police and reached speeds up 70mph in a 40mph zone. He tried to flee but was captured.”

Parker was arrested and the court heard police found number plates and items stolen from the previous thefts in the VW Golf.

He was given a 12 week sentence, suspended for 12 months, when he appeared before Basingstoke Magistrates Court on May 28 but the threat of imprisonment didn’t stop him from re-offending.

Mr Rolf added: “The defendant was stopped on June 9 by police while driving.

“He told police he had never held a full licence and been disqualified. He also had no insurance and was found to be slightly over the limit.”

And on August 2, he was arrested again as a Citroen Berlingo he stole from an address near Aylesbury on the same day was stopped by police on the A34 near Whitchurch.

Mark Karpinski, for Parker, said the defendant was “no stranger to the criminal courts” and held a “deeply unattractive record” before adding his crimes were largely related to the taking of Tramadol, alcohol and other drugs.

The offences after May 28 meant his suspended sentence was activated, with Recorder Nicholas Haggan adding 14 months and 12 weeks, along with a six month disqualification.