A SERIAL burglar who carried out raids on Black Country pubs has been put behind bars.

Trevor Hollis, targeted various pubs in Stourbridge and Dudley, stealing charity boxes and money from gaming machines, pool tables and juke boxes.

Hollis, aged 32, was jailed for six years after police traced him from DNA on a cigarette end he left behind after targeting the Starving Rascal pub in Stourbridge.

He was arrested at the New Wellington in Brierley Hill, where he was hiding on the premises and police saw a large bundle of £20, £10 and £5 notes fall from his clothing together with a bag containing coins from gaming machines.

He was told by Judge Martin Walsh at Wolverhampton Crown Court: "This was a campaign of burglary and public houses were targeted."

Edward Soulsby, prosecuting, told the court that Hollis burgled the Bramford Arms in Woodsetton and despite being watched on CCTV he got away with two charity boxes and also attempted to smash open the till.

The next target was the King William in Pensnett Road, Dudley and Hollis took £500 from gaming machines while also forcing open the cash box on the pool table.

A raid on The Malt Shovel in Dudley followed where Hollis stole £600 from gaming machines and also took a large glass jar containing £100 that had been collected for charity.

The Samson and Lion in Wordsley was then raided and having gained access through the cellar, Hollis took more money from gaming machines and the pool table.

Hollis pleaded guilty to the six burglaries and also raiding the pub area of the Painters Arms pub in Coseley with an accomplice and stealing £100.

He denied a separate charge of burgling the upstairs private area of the Painters Arms but he was convicted by a jury at the end of his trial.

The judge told him: "You entered each of these public houses with the intention of stealing money from machines or cash that could have been left lying around in the till.

"Some of the public houses were occupied while others were empty. If you persist with burgling premises like this the prison sentences are going to get longer and longer."

The court was told Hollis, of Cheshire Street, Market Drayton, had a criminal record going back to 1998 for crimes including burglary and possessing drugs.