A BURGLAR who tied up women in their homes as part of an escalating four year campaign of raids has been jailed for 12 years.
Conor Ashton targeted homes near where he lived in Greenstead between 2013 and last year and began tagging the houses with bizarre graffiti which included insults directed at police officers and pentagrams.
Disturbing - graffiti left at a scene in Acacia Avenue
In two disturbing raids last year he tied up women after appearing at the end of their beds wearing a balaclava and armed with a knife before stealing debit cards and phones.
In previous burglaries he had also helped himself to food and drink while inside the homes.
Search - police officers swooped on Ashton's home, in Purcell Close, last September
He admitted six burglaries and two aggravated burglaries and was sentenced by Judge Christopher Morgan at Chelmsford Crown Court today.
HOW LAPTOP SALE EVENTUALLY LED POLICE TO RAIDER'S HOUSE
Judge Morgan said he was satisfied Ashton, 24, was dangerous and had been inspired by notorious American serial killer Richard Ramirez and had given himself a disturbing nickname of the Stalking Ransacker.
He said: “It is my judgement on the facts of these cases that you are a dangerous individual.
Dangerous - Conor Ashton
“You do present a risk of serious harm whether it be physical or psychological should you commit offences of a similar nature.
“You were trying to replicate a notorious criminal and had given yourself a moniker that you graffitied the scene to taunt police.
“You told police you had committed offences and you were going to commit more because they would not catch you.”
WOMAN TIED UP AND THREATENED IN HER OWN HOME
Judge Morgan said he was sure Ashton had laid out underwear on the bed of one of his burglary’s victims to try and scare them and had taken a knife to two houses last year.
Target - Ashton left this at a property he targeted in Purcell Close... where he lived
He added: “While you have not committed a sexual offence against them but this was a pattern of behaviour that continued until the time you were caught.
“After you were caught you provided no real explanation for this behaviour.”
POLICE URGE CAUTION AS SECOND WOMAN IS TARGETED IN HER HOME
Ashton, of Purcell Close, Colchester, will serve a four year extended licence period when he is released.
MASKED RAIDER TORMENTED POLICE WITH GRAFFITI ON VICTIMS' WALLS TOLD TO EXPECT LONG JAIL SENTENCE
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