A prolific burglar from the Cally who raided a host of pubs and bars over a two-month spree has been jailed.

Paul Sean Maher, 51, also known as Dean Frances Maher, was locked up for four years and four months after admitting seven counts of burglary.

Maher, of Caledonian Road, targeted staff offices and homes in or near pubs, often entering through insecure doors when staff had their back turned.

The spree began in January when he stole an iPad from Ye Olde Cock Tavern in Fleet Street. Six days later, he swiped a £2,000 laptop from a flat above Rudds Bar in Queen Victoria Street.

Later that month he took a £900 camera from a flat above the Red Lion pub in Eldon Street and in March he was caught on CCTV nicking six bottles of Champagne worth £410 from another Fleet Street boozer, the Punch Tavern.

He also burgled three Islington pubs in a single day on January 10, targeting two pubs in Essex Road and one in white Liond Street.

Speaking after his sentencing at the Inner London Crown Court last month, Islington officer Pc Craig Arnott said: “Maher deliberately targeted licensed premises where he knew he could gain access to staff only areas in order to steal.”

“Owing to the strong working relationship we have with licensed venues in the area and our Pub Watch Group, we were able to link Maher to all three offences and obtain sufficient evidence against him.”