A serial, drug-addicted burglar with 400 convictions has been given the chance to go straight by a judge who took pity on him.

Despite being described as a "one man crime wave", 27-year-old Andrew Fairley was not given a custodial sentence for his latest offences thefts at the Jury's Inn Hotel in Croydon and Thornton Heath bus garage but instead ordered to undergo a drug treatment and testing order.

The order means that Fairley will be regularly brought back to court so the probation service can report on his progress in beating his addiction.

A 7am to 7pm curfew was also imposed at Croydon Crown Court last Friday.

Fairley, of Prioress Road, West Norwood, was told by Mr Recorder Methuen: "Your life is a complete mess. You are a menace to society.

"You have been more in prison than out, and the easy option is to send you back there. But it seems to me that if you go back the chances are that you will come out and commit the same offences as you have in the past."

Fairley, who made around £3,000 a week burgling offices, shops, schools and commercial premises, pleaded guilty to the two offences and asked for 38 more to be taken into consideration.