A HAMPSHIRE man has hit the jackpot six times in a row at a Southampton amusement arcade - but still ended up a loser.

The burglar, Mark Harrison, had smashed his way through the front door of the premises at night with a brick and emptied six machines using a chisel.

However, in doing so, he activated an alarm and police, accompanied by a key holder, caught him red-handed wearing plastic bags on his feet, Southampton Crown Court was told.

Harrison, 27, of Golden Grove, Southampton, pleaded guilty to burglary at Stardust Amusement in St Mary's.

He told detectives he was high on valium and desperately needed money to fund his habit. At the time, he was on licence from a five-year sentence imposed by the same court in 1997 for robbery and aggravated burglary.

Harrison was recalled to prison to finish off his unexpired sentence of 32 weeks plus five weeks, before starting to serve another nine months for his new offence.

Judge John Foley told him: "The public still needs protection from your activities.''