A BURGLAR who targeted schools has been sent to Crown Court for sentence after magistrates heard his latest string of offences started less than a month after he was released from jail.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Michael John Jackson admitted two school burglaries and asked for another 13 to be considered.

They decided their powers of punishment were insufficient after hearing his latest nine month prison sentence was imposed for an attempted burglary at a school with seven similar offences taken into consideration.

Jackson, 22, of Seven Trees Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to burglary at St Gabriel's Junior School with intent to steal and burglary at Brookhouse Primary School and theft of a laptop computer worth £800. He was committed in custody to Preston Crown Court.

Pat Bramley, prosecuting, said Jackson had only been released from prison on May 18 and the latest offences had all been committed in June. She estimated the value of property stolen from various schools at over £8,000.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said the offences were committed to fund Jackson's drug addiction.

"To his credit there is no ransacking, no particular damage to property within the schools," said Mr Taylor. "Prison takes him out of circulation for a while but it is not addressing the underlying issue of drugs."