A PROLIFIC crook, who broke into 22 homes in the space of a month, has been jailed for three years.

The hapless Nathan Odley went on his crime spree earlier this year, but was arrested after leaving behind crucial forensic evidence at the scene of two break-ins.

He was even caught wearing some of the stolen loot when he was arrested.

Basildon Crown Court heard yesterday the 31-year-old broke into a home in Church Street, Billericay, on February 27.

He smashed a window before helping himself to jewellery worth £35,000.

But Odley, of no fixed abode, had left blood smeared on the broken window, enabling police to forensically link him to the crime.

Days later, on March 1, Odley struck again, this time breaking into a family house in Friern Gardens, Wickford.

He ransacked every room and stole a haul of goods, including birthday presents belonging to two children – aged 11 and 14 – living in the home.

Odley left a screwdriver, which he used to get into the house, in a bedroom which again left police with a vital forensic clue.

Days after the second break-in, on March 4, Odley was arrested in Basildon where he was found wearing a silver Armani watch he had taken from the Billericay burglary.

Odley, who admitted two counts of burglary, also asked for 20 other offences – including 17 other burglaries and three attempted burglaries which he carried out between January 6 and February 4 – to be taken into consideration at the hearing.

Mitigating, Jacqueline Carey said Odley, who previously struggled with a heroin addiction, had not reoffended since he was released from jail in January 2009 after serving two-and-a-half years for burglary.

She said his life took a wrong turn when he returned to Basildon after splitting up with his girlfriend.

She added: “With regard to upsetting the victims, it was never his intention, but they have paid the price for the impact he had.”

Odley admitted two counts of burglary and a further charge of possessing a Class C drug.

Sentencing him to three years Judge John Lodge said: “You may not have set out intentionally to cause distress to people.

“But people returning to a ransacked house are going to be absolutely distressed at what they find.”