A PROLIFIC burglar apologised to the judge for reoffending after he was jailed for 40 months.

Paul Godfrey, of Tyrrells Way, Sutton Courtenay, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (April 11) for several counts of burglary of a home and theft.

It was heard the 44-year-old had previously been sentenced in 2022 to a community order with a drug rehabilitation residential placement for similar offences but had begun reoffending in 2023 to fund his drug habit.

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Judge Ian Pringle said: “Mr Godfrey and I are well known to each other and it’s a shame because he did remarkably well on the residential rehabilitation but, like a lot of people, when you came away from the residential part you started to slip.”

Before being taken to the cells underneath the courts, Godfrey said: “My apologies to you Mr Pringle. You gave me the opportunity before and I failed.”

The court heard that on January 12 this year, Godfrey had entered a home in Hurst Street, Oxford, with the intent to steal.

He was caught on a Ring Doorbell climbing through the window before later leaving through the front door.

Herald Series: Oxford Crown Court Oxford Crown Court (Image: NQ)

He stole a number of bank cards, spare car keys and spare keys to the house which all needed to be replaced.

 On March 5 this year, he targeted a property in Stratfield Road in Oxford.

A few months earlier, on December 11, 14 and 29, Godfrey had stolen parcels from the front door steps of homes in Didcot.

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One of the parcels that he stole included Christmas presents.

The court heard Godfrey has a number of previous convictions, including three thefts, 11 house burglaries, four handling stolen good offences and four failures to attend court.

Defending the 44-year-old, his barrister Brian James said when Godfrey had come out of a rehabilitation programme and returned to Oxford, his terminally ill sister had passed away.

Mr James said: “He relapsed into the use of drugs to cope with his grief which turned into further offending to fund that habit.”

He added that Godfrey was remorseful for what he had done and wanted to apologise to the people impacted by the incidents.

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Mr James said: “He said nothing really mattered to him at that time because of his offending.”

Sentencing Godfrey, Judge Pringle said: “I know there was personal sadness in your life and there’s nothing I or anyone else can do about that and you went off the rails.”

He added that he hopes Godfrey gets the help he needs upon release.