A PROLIFIC crook who was going to use part of a Dyson cleaner as a weapon and went on a £1,000 shoplifting spree has been jailed for a year.

Christopher Chapman, 29, was running round the streets with the metal pipe from the vacuum.

He claimed he was armed because his home had been attacked, his partner had left the property and he thought she was going to be assaulted.

Chapman, who abused drink and drugs, also went on a tour of Burnley’s stores and supermarkets, helping himself to goods, sometimes in ‘trolley dashes’.

Most of his hauls had not been recovered, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The defendant had many previous convictions for stealing from shops.

He struck while subject to a suspended jail term. In January he had been spared custody again after the sentence was not activated when he appeared for possessing a samurai sword in public.

On that occasion he also said he had been protecting his partner.

Chapman had written the judge a six-page letter, explaining why he had done what he did.

The defendant, formerly of Hart Street, Burnley, had admitted possessing an offensive weapon and eight counts of theft and had been committed for sentence by the town’s magistrates.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Chapman had been banned from town centre stores, but flouted the bail conditions and carried on his campaign.

Richard Taylor, for Chapman, said his client’s life had been spiralling out of control, both he and his partner had sunk back into drugs misuse and the defendant had turned to drink as well.

Judge Simon Newell told Chapman the courts had to give defendants chances when it was appropriate but they also had to protect the public and shopkeepers.

He added: “There comes a time when the courts have got to say enough is enough.”