A CAREER burglar who headbutted his ex-partner has been given a “once-in-a-lifetime chance” by a judge who admitted her decision not to jail him would make people believe she was “off her head”.

Alan Goodman might have gone to prison “for something like four and a half years”, but Judge Mary Jane Mowat decided to send the prolific offender on a residential drug-rehabilitation course.

The 29-year-old was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday having admitted three burglaries and an assault causing actual bodily harm. He asked for 22 other burglaries and thefts to be taken into consideration.

Goodman flagged down ex-partner Anne Marie Collicut as she drove along Tucker Road in Blackbird Leys on February 26.

When she refused to take him into the city centre, Goodman headbutted her to the ground while the pair’s eight-month-old twin daughters watched from the back of the car. After Miss Collicut got up, Goodman punched her face and ran off. Before his eventual arrest on March 22, Goodman committed two burglaries.

On March 6 he broke into a house and its adjoining garage in Weyland Road, Headington, and stole a £300 mountain bike.

On March 20 he broke into an address in Thomson Terrace, Littlemore, via a patio door to steal a items from the living room.

Peter Du Feu, defending, said his client had a £100-a-day heroin habit at the time but was now completely clean of drugs.

He said ending Goodman’s drug habit would be more beneficial than sending him to jail. Judge Mowat said: “Many would think I’m just off my head offering the alternative.

“Off my head for suggesting anything than a prison sentence for something like four and half years.

“You’re the sort of person who puts people in terror when they hear about your offences, the sort of person many quite reasonable people would like to see locked up for life, if the law would permit it.

“But you have served sentences before, one of three years, to no effect. There’s a recommendation from probation you should be offered drug rehabilitation.

“You have been on drugs since you were 10. Whether it works, I don’t know. That’s down to you.”

Goodman, of no fixed address, could face an unlimited sentence should he fail to adhere to the six-month course. A year’s supervision and an indefinite restraining order, to protect Miss Collicut, was also imposed.