A BURGLAR was spared jail after being convicted of his FIFTY-SEVENTH break-in, a Sun on Sunday probe reveals.

The prolific offender had a total of 265 previous convictions.

A burglar attempting to pick a lock on a back door.A burglar was spared jail after being convicted of his fifty-seventh break-in

He was among career criminals — including robbers, sex offenders and drug abusers — who dodged jail and were let off with non-custodial sentences such as suspended jail terms, community service and fines.

Others shockingly include a pervert in court for the sixth time for sexual assault and a paedo found guilty for the fifth time over child abuse images.

Another case saw a seven-time robber walk free, while an offender on an eighth knife offence side-stepped jail despite 94 total previous offences.

A drug offender caught with illegal substances for the 19th time also escaped custody, as did a crook with an astonishing 407 previous convictions including robbery over 30 years.

The offenders’ crimes were uncovered in a Freedom of Information Act probe.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) did not name the culprits on “data protection grounds”;.

Ex-DCS Kevin Moore , former head of Sussex Police CID, said: “We need to recognise that we require more prison space so that those who need to serve custodial sentences actually do so — and that these sentences are of sufficient length.”;

The MoJ said a review was under way to specifically consider sentencing for prolific offenders.

Burglar using a crowbar to break into a window.Another case saw a seven-time robber walk free