A MAN has been jailed after being found with a knife in the midst of an 11-day crime spree in Irvine.

Scott Paterson was locked up after admitting the theft of a huge array of items from shops, a home and a car in the town - from a TV set, mobile phone and camera to lipstick, perfume and school books.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to seven different offences, committed during March of this year, during a hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court this week.

Paterson's spate of offending began on March 19 when he stole a quantity of clothing from Sports Direct at Riverway Retail Park - and continued a day later when he nicked a TV set from the nearby Asda supermarket.

Then, on March 29, he returned to the Sports Direct store and broke into the premises.

On the same day he broke into a home on Mckinlay Crescent and made off with a quantity of medication, a mobile phone, a wallet and its contents, a jacket, a pair of trousers, a gold ring and a camera.

Later that day he was found within another address in the town, this time on Ayr Road, in circumstances that suggested he was planning to commit another theft.

This time he was also found in possession of a knife.

The final charge related to a further theft on March 29, this time when Paterson - described in court papers as an inmate at Kilmarnock prison - entered an insecure motor vehicle in the town's Victoria Crescent.

Here he stole a handbag, a bag containing clothing and school books, a quantity of money, a key, a bottle of perfume, a lipstick, a wine glass and a quantity of alcohol.

After pleading guilty to all seven charges, Paterson was jailed for two years, backdated to March 30 when he was initially taken into custody.