Would Have Done Us All A Favour…

…if you’d chucked him in the crusher:

A judge has praised a recycling crew who spotted a prolific crook in a back street with stolen property and blocked his escape.

Drug addict Robert Norris, 31, had been confronted by the cardboard collection crew as he tried to make off with the 'swag bags' from a house raid in Colne.

Burnley Crown Court heard Norris threatened one of the bin men with a knife.

How 'prolific' a crook was he? Well, very:

Norris, who has 101 previous offences, had been on licence from an 876 day sentence for burglary and had not long been out of jail at the time.

And is he going away for a good long time now, what with the knife and all? Don't be silly:

Norris, who has served the equivalent of four months on remand, has now been freed, after admitting handling stolen goods and having a bladed instrument.

 *sighs* Predictable, isn't it?

The defendant, of Brentwood Road, Nelson, was given a community order, with an eight week curfew, between 8pm and 7am and a 12 month drug rehabilitation requirement. He must pay a £60 victim surcharge.

So he'll be burgling someone else to pay that, probably right about now...