A prolific shoplifter has been sent behind bars following a spate of recent offences.

Simon Parker, of no fixed abode in Wiltshire, has been sentenced for various thefts from shops around the county, and appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court for sentencing last Wednesday.

The 39-year-old indicated pleas of guilty to five counts of theft from a shop, which affected local branches of Tesco, Sainsburys, and TK Maxx.

He took numerous items of meat from the Trowbridge Tesco on April 30, May 1, and May 2, 2024, then stole sirloin steaks worth £117 altogether from the Bradford on Avon Sainsburys on May 4, before leaving the Trowbridge TK Maxx on May 14 without paying for a Moschino Toy Box and Juicy Couture box set worth £95 altogether.

For these crimes, he has been jailed for 12 weeks as, the court documents note, the defendant has a record of similar recent offences, these new ones were committed shortly after the last release date, he has not engaged with probation, and was not living at the address where he should have been.

There was no order to pay compensation because nothing was lost or damaged, and there was no order to pay court costs either.