Career crook known as Rat Boy who raided OAPs homes aged 11 is locked up again for 37th crime aged 38

A NOTORIOUS career criminal dubbed "Rat Boy" as a babyfaced teen tearaway has been caged for his 37th offence aged 38.

Anthony Kennedy terrorised the Byker Wall estate in the 1990s when he was just an 11-year-old lad - earning his nickname when he hid from cops in ventilation shafts.

He has now been banged up aged 38 for a botched burglary - his 37th conviction for raiding homes.

Kennedy had just been released from his latest spell behind bars when he broke into a house in North Tyneside and smashed his way in through an 100-year-old glass panel in the front door.

The intruder then left a trail of blood through the house after cutting himself on the shattered glass and swiped a £750 watch, £80 cash and sentimental jewellery belonging to the homeowners.

Kennedy was collared after CCTV identified him and DNA tests on the blood proved he had been in the house on September 21, which was locked and alarmed.

In a victim impact statement, the homeowner said: "I don’t believe the true impact can be understood until you become a victim yourself.

"It shows a total disregard for people.

"I’ve lived here 22 years and it is a large property with many of the original features. The glass was 100 years old with an imperfection which added to the character of the property.

"Some of the property belonged to my mother. It’s like stealing memories."

Judge Robert Spragg jailed Kennedy, of Newcastle, for three years and four months and said he was “turning into a career burglar”.

The court heard how Kennedy was serial offender racking up 26 previous convictions for burglaries - many of which were carried out when he was a youngster.

He had been jailed for 30 months in 2004, got a suspended sentence in 2006 and was locked up for three years in 2013.

As a child, he escaped cops after targeting the homes of the elderly on the Byker Wall estate where he grew up by escaping into heating ducts and stairwells.

Jeff Taylor, defending, said: “He had notoriety as a child.

"He struggles with his ability to deal with drugs. He solves problems by resorting back to criminal offending."

Kennedy claimed he 2007 he had turned his back on crime after finding love and religion.

He said at the time: "I believe it's important to treat others how you would like to be treated yourself and to have respect for other people.

"When I was Ratboy, those were things I didn't care about.

"Ratboy is the person I used to be. The only names I want to be called now are Anthony and Dad. I've turned my back on crime and would never go back to that life. I've got too much to lose."

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.