A serial burglar who targeted schools, an old people’s day centre and even a charity that was providing him help, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Gregory Stevens, 39, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to carrying out a spree of 10 non-residential burglaries in February and March, in addition to one attempted burglary.

His criminality – said by the defence to fund his heroin and crack cocaine addiction – cost his victims more than £28,000 in lost property and damages, with one primary school so badly affected it was forced to close for two days.

He took £9,000 worth of equipment in two raids on Rosary Roman Catholic Primary School in Belsize Park, including three iPads. He also stole from St Michael’s Primary School in Camden Town, Haverstock School, in Chalk Farm, Brecknock Primary School in Camden Town, and an older people’s day centre, a dental practice, and an English language centre.

But it was his burglary of the Single Homeless Project – a shelter charity in King’s Cross that was helping Stevens – that his defence said left him “most ashamed”.

Considering the impact of his crimes on school children and evidence of previous convictions for crimes committed in other EU countries, the judge told said to Mr Stevens: “You had very little regard for [the Single Homeless Project] despite the good will they had showed for you [...] and you caused untold inconvenience and upset, particularly to children.”