A career criminal who has spent half his young life behind bars is back in prison AGAIN after breaking into five houses in just one week.

Over the course of seven days, Kynan Shepherd targeted a pub, a social club, a shop, a bar and houses. At the final house he stole a £6,000 car after taking the keys.

That final break-in, on September 29, was reported quickly by the homeowner and the 30-year-old was spotted behind the wheel of her stolen Peugeot 208 by police.

Officers gave chase as Shepherd tried to run from the vehicle before he was cornered.

He then tried to attacking a police officer with a wooden stick as he was being arrested. Officers were forced to use CS spray.

Now he has appeared in court where he pleaded guilty to the four burglaries, an attempted burglary, theft and assaulting a police officer.

And he has also asked for a further six thefts, all of which took place over a two-month period, to be taken into consideration.

Jailing Shepherd for 40 months at Derby Crown Court, Judge Peter Cooke said: "Your record is absolutely horrendous.

"I can’t recall seeing a worse one for someone that’s only 30.

"You have previously been handed a 90-month sentence for armed robbery and even after your release from that you continued to rob, steal and burgle.

Kynan Shepherd has now been jailed

"It is a matter of getting you out of the way to give your victims some respite."

Sonal Ahya, prosecuting, said Shepherd‘s catalogue of offending took place between September 22 and 29 in the Swadlincote area.

She said he would force his way into the properties when they were closed and take alcohol, electronic items, money and even charity boxes.

Miss Ahya said Shepherd, of Chestnut Avenue, Swadlincote, also smashed his way into fruit machines to take the cash from inside them.

She said the final burglary, on September 29, was at a house in Burton Road, Swadlincote, when the householder was inside.

Miss Ahya said: "She heard the noise of her car being driven from the driveway outside and looked to see the Peugeot 208 being driven off.

"The victim called the police and the defendant was soon spotted behind the wheel.

"He fled from officers, leaving the car and attempting to flee on foot but he was chased.

"One officer has to use his cactus spray on him and in the process he hit another officer with a piece of wood he was holding."

Shepherd was arrested and interviewed, initially giving "no comment" answers to the questions he was asked.

But he has now pleaded guilty to the catalogue of offences and asked for the other thefts to be taken into consideration.

Miss Ahya outlined some of his previous convictions which include the 90-month sentence for armed robbery he had received at Stafford Crown Court in 2010.

Stuart Newsam, for Shepherd, said: "He has spent almost half of his life in prison and he is in danger of becoming institutionalised and may even be that already.

"He’s become used to custody and his story is all too familiar to the courts – one of a long-standing addiction to drugs.

"He finished his last custodial sentence and fell back into this cycle of offending because of a desperate need for drugs."

Shepherd's full list off offences:

Kynan Shepherd pleaded guilty to these seven offences.

September 22 – Burglary at the Lounge Bar, in West Street, Swadlincote - £900 of spirits were stolen.

September 27 – Burglary at the Stanhope Arms, in Ashby Road East, Bretby – a £400 laptop and a charity box were taken.

September 27 to 29 – Burglary at Newhall Social Club, in High Street, Newhall – bottles of alcohol and money from two charity boxes were stolen.

September 28 to 29 – Attempted burglary of a flat above a shop in Salisbury Drive, Midway – nothing stolen but £200 of damage was caused.

September 28 – Burglary of a house in Burton Road, Swadlincote – car keys to a £6,000 Peugeot car and £650 of other items were taken.

September 28 – Theft of the £6,000 car from the house in Burton Road, Swadlincote.

September 29 – Assaulting a police officer as he tried to flee after being pulled over driving the stolen car.

Shepherd also asked for the following thefts and burglaries to be taken into account by the court:

July 27 – Theft from outside of a property in Vale Road, Midway - £540 worth of power tools stolen

August 24 – Theft from Kwicksave in Bretby Road, Newhall – Alcohol taken

August 31 – Theft from Superdrug in Market Street, Ashby – Goods of unknown value stolen

September 2 – Theft from Co-op in Derby Road, Ashby – Goods of unknown value taken

September 20 – Theft from Sainsbury’s in Burton Road, Midway - £262 of items stolen

September 24 – Theft from Superdrug in High Street, Swadlincote – Aftershave taken