Judge borrows line from 70s comedy Porridge as he locks up career criminal

A judge borrowed a line from 70's sitcom Porridge as he jailed a burglar, just like the show's main character. Judge John Edwards said 48-year-old Alan Wild treated imprisonment as an 'occupational hazard', the same quote used in the introduction to the BBC prison comedy.

Like Porridge's star Norman Stanley Fletcher, portrayed by Ronnie Barker, Wild is a burglar. Wild was arrested again after three break-ins at commercial premises in Oldham.

His lawyer appealed for Wild to be spared jail, claiming he had gained 'new insight' into his crimes after being burgled himself. But Judge Edwards told him: ''You have been in and out of courts now for offences of dishonesty for 21 years and the sad fact is in my view the court is an occupational hazard for you.

READ MORE : Street in shock as they wake up to find 'quiet' neighbour has died

"If you carry on in this way, you're simply going to become institutionalised.'' He added: ''I understand you yourself were the victim of a burglary so you must know what it is like.

"Burglaries at commercial premises may not necessarily cause trauma or distress but rest assured the inconvenience and loss to small business such as these are profound. As important as your personal circumstances are, I'm afraid punishment and protection of the public is at the heart of this sentencing process.''

In Porridge, Fletcher was ordered to serve five years behind bars at the fictional Slade prison for breaking and entering and stealing a lorry. In the introductory voice-over provided by Barker at the beginning of every episode, the fictional judge said: ''Norman Stanley Fletcher, you have pleaded guilty to the charges brought by this court, and it is now my duty to pass sentence.

''You are a habitual