A SERIAL Runcorn offender is back behind prison bars after his latest brushes with the law.

Lewis Dutton has appeared before the courts on a number of occasions over recent years, having previously been branded a ‘professional criminal’.

The 31-year-old has a number of previous convictions for offences of dishonesty, and this type of offending has seen him incarcerated again.

This came after he was charged with three counts of burglary, two of attempted theft from a vehicle and one of theft from a motor vehicle.

The defendant indicated guilty pleas to all counts before the magistrates’ court, with the case committed to Chester Crown Court for sentence.

Prosecuting, Joanne Moore told the court that all of the offences were committed on May 29 this year in Runcorn.

Dutton twice attempted to steal personal possessions from a vehicle belonging to the same male victim, eventually being successful and taking a BBQ lighter.

He also twice entered Bank Chambers as a trespasser with intent to steal, as well as a shed in the town.

Before sentencing, judge Simon Berkson highlighted how an immediate jail term was appropriate as the offences were committed during the operational period of a suspended sentence.

As a result, Dutton, of Canon Street in Runcorn, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.