A PROLIFIC career criminal has been locked up for his 99th offence- after being caught on a dashcam leaving the scene of a burglary.

Ronnie Tretton, 32, of Birche Close, Leigh, was jailed for two years and eight months for burglary alongside Scott Osborne, 24, of King Edwards, Romford, who was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Both men were recorded on a dashcam leaving a house in Harrison Close, Hutton, on December 13, after filling their pockets with jewellery worth £3,500 and 400 Euros.

Charlotte Davison, prosecuting, told Basildon Crown Court the break-in took place in the space of an hour while the homeowner was collecting her children from a nursery.

When she got back, the men were gone but the front door was “splintered” and every room had been ransacked.

Reading from the victim’s impact statement she said: “I can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if I had disturbed them.”

Miss Davison said the mother-of-two was left feeling “insecure” and fears leaving the house and being alone at home.

Tretton had 36 convictions for 98 offences, while Osborne had 30 convictions for 44 offences.

Chris Whitcombe, mitigating for Tretton, said despite his “appalling” record he had only two previous convictions for dwelling house burglaries, although he has 12 convictions for non-dwelling burglaries.

He said: “He has been a client of the various firms that I have worked for during the course of my career.

“In his younger years he was largely brought up by his grandmother, his parents wanting nothing to do with him and he began as a regular feature of the youth court in Southend.

“He comes before the court with a lengthy period of imprisonment in front of him.”

Mr Whitcombe said the news that Tretton’s girlfriend will give birth to his first child while he is inside “ails him” and he is “determined” to change his ways once released.

He said: “He wants to start the process of looking after his family and to start the process of obtaining employment in the proper way.”

Judge David Owen-Jones said burglary has a “massive impact” and noted that the victim was still suiffering from “anxiety” and “concern about her property”.

He said: “You both have appalling records for dishonesty.” He added: “Burglary is an extremely serious matter.”

Speaking after the hearing, Det Sgt David Wilkinson, of Brentwood CID, said: "Burglary has a devastating effect on victims that should not be under-estimated, with many people never feeling the same about their home again.

"Tretton and Osborne had no regard for the impact their behaviour might have on their victim in this case, or indeed any of their victims, as both are prolific burglars.

"Fortunately for us they also had no regard for the fact that their movements were being caught on camera and we were able to indisputably put them at the scene of the crime.

"I welcome today’s sentence, which should give both of them time to reflect on their actions. I also hope it sends out a message to other burglars that both Essex Police and our criminal justice colleagues will not tolerate their behaviour.”