A PROLIFIC thief who has committed more than a hundred offences has been jailed for his latest crime.

Peter Marsh reached the end of the road after breaking into the car of Alicia Baker in Brighton.

She returned from a

12-hour shift to find the damage and see that her makeup and bags had been stolen.

Marsh, 40, has 50 convictions for more than 124 previous offences and had breached a suspended sentence for a shop burglary.

At Lewes Crown Court, Judge Christine Laing QC rejected his bid to avoid another prison spell.

“The public would think I need help if the suspended sentence were not imposed,” she said.

Jonathan Atkinson, prosecuting, said Marsh’s latest offence was committed in May this year.

He said Marsh had a suspended sentence from October for a break-in of a phone shop and for possessing a Stanley knife.

Marsh also had a suspended sentence for battery on a guard at the magistrates’ court from November.

In a letter to the judge, Marsh asked both to be sent to prison to help fight his drug addiction but also to be kept out of prison for his mental health.

“This doesn’t make a word of sense,” the judge said.

Anthony Waller, defending, said Marsh has managed to get himself off drugs, but has had difficulties getting the right medication and support outside prison to cope with his mental health.

Marsh suffers from Tourette’s and takes medication for being psychotic.

Mr Waller said Marsh’s previous convictions is “turning into a novel” because there are so many.

Judge Laing QC said: “I’m not here to give a personal sentence. I have a public role.

“He had support prior to this, and support workers are no more able to work magic than anyone else.

“We do not live in a perfect world, when there are problems with medication, there is a limited amount any support worker can do.”

Mr Waller said Marsh wanted to turn his back on drugs and had reached a low ebb in the past where he took an overdose in a park.

But Judge Laing QC said: “I have heard the saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. We are back for the third time now. I’m no fool.

“You assured me your drug rehabilitation was going well. But you ruined this young woman’s day.”

For breaching the burglary suspended sentence she jailed him for nine months, and added a further three months for the theft and for the suspended sentence in November.

Marsh, of no fixed address, was jailed for a year in total.