A Bolton man went on a spree of burglaries and car thefts just days after being released from detention.

Evan Smethhurst was given a three year detention order last September for a string of burglaries and leading the police on a car theft.

But due to the time he had already been inside waiting to be dealt with by the courts, he was released right away.

And within a week he was terrorising people in the homes of Bolton and Bury.

He carried out burglaries on Longsight Road, Coppice Close and Greenbank, Bolton and also Walmersley Road, Bury.

From three of these addresses he stole vehicles including a Ford Fiesta and two BMWs.

He also made attempts to carry out burglaries at addresses including on Forton Avenue, Dewhurst Road, Forton Avenue, Hough Fold Way, Patterdale Road, Hawkstone Road, Bolton and also at two properties on Crompton Way in the town as well as one on Henfold Road, Tyldesley.

He was identified by police on multiple CCTV cameras from the victims.

He was found with the keys of one of the stolen BMWs.

Duncan Wilcock, prosecuting, read out some victim impact statements from those affected.

One, from the resident of the property on Coppice Close who had a BMW stolen, said they felt “nervous about the situation” and feared they “may come back.”

Another, from the victim of an attempted burglary, said she had kept the incident from her three children because they would be “terrified” if they found out what had happened.

Smethhurst, 20, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting four burglaries, nine attempted burglaries and three thefts of vehicles.

David Farley, defending, said he had nowhere to go after being released from custody.

He also said he was taken advantage of by others as he had ADHD and the mental age of an eight year old.

He said: “He gets a thrill out of being in stolen cars.”

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, said: “Burglaries cause such distress to the victim of the crime.

“It creates a deep sense of insecurity in the mind of those involved."

He sent Smethhurst, of HMP Forest Bank, to detention in a young offenders’ institute for 60 months.