A man has been branded a “one man mini crimewave” by a crown court judge.

Michael John Hughes burgled two houses, tried to burgle a third, and stole from cars all on the same night in October.

He was arrested and bailed and then went on to steal from another vehicle the following night, Mold Crown Court was told yesterday.

Judge Niclas Parry jailed Hughes, 40, of Lyndale Avenue in Connah’s Quay, for a total of 16 months after he admitted all charges.

The judge said Hughes “was nothing more than a one man mini crimewave”.

He committed eight offences of dishonesty along with an attack on three different homes. In each case the houses were occupied and there had been confrontations.

But the judge said he accepted there had been no threats and no violence.

The court heard that on October 15 Hughes went into a house on Deeside when the occupants were asleep in bed.

A window had been forced open and his fingerprints were found on it. Items had been removed and placed nearby.

He moved on and committed another burglary in another house some hours later. Again, the occupants were disturbed.

The owner heard loud banging and a window had been broken.

A breeze block was found nearby and the back door had been forced with a crowbar.

He moved on to another home occupied by a woman where he tried to enter.

Hughes stole from two more vehicles, the judge said.

Arrested and bailed, he stole from another vehicle the following night.

A woman found him inside her car stealing her radio and CD player.

Judge Parry said Hughes was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

The judge said the starting point was one of 12 months, but the sentencing range went up to two years. That was for one offence only.

But Hughes had pleaded guilty and would receive the maximum credit in sentence.

He had previous convictions, but nothing for burglary and he had kept out of trouble for 14 years.

“I accept that you are sorry,” he said. “You will understand that because there are so many offences and because there are so many complainants that only a custodial sentence can be justified.”