A 38-YEAR-OLD Stourbridge man described by a Judge as a "prolific house burglar" has been put behind bars for three years for his latest string of crimes.

Wayne Wooldridge broke into a house in Beeches Road, Rowley Regis, just hours before he was due to be recalled to prison, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Wooldridge took £11,000 worth of jewellery from the property together with £2,500 in cash - but he was arrested after being traced by a bloodstain left at the crime scene.

Mr Mark Rees, prosecuting, told the court that Wooldridge, a man with a number of previous convictions for burglary, also raided a house in Anita Avenue, Tipton.

Wooldridge, now of no fixed address, admitted two burglaries and asked for six other similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Judge Michael Challinor told him he had a bad record, he had committed a number of other serious offences and only a three-year jail term was appropriate.