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A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been jailed, and banned from entering a series of shops across Westcliff and Southend for five years.
A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been jailed, and banned from entering a series of shops across Westcliff and Southend for five years.
A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been jailed, and banned from entering a series of shops across Westcliff and Southend for five years.
James Butcher, 32, admitted to committing 30 thefts from shops across the city since last August, including ten thefts while on court bail.
Butcher was initially arrested on January 16, 2023, and charged with 20 thefts from shops and one count of assault by beating.
He was bailed by Southend magistrates on January 18, but failed to attend his next hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The Southend Local Policing Team officers arrested him again on February 27. By this time, he had committed another ten shop thefts.
PC Alex Plakhtienko, of the Business Crime Team, said after the case that Butcher had repeatedly targeted a number of shops in Southend and Westcliff, intimidating staff by his behaviour.
He said: “He is a persistent offender and, despite being arrested and bailed by magistrates in January, the very next day Butcher stole 20 meat steaks.
“Staff members in the shops he stole from were frightened by his behaviour and some were verbally threatened. One employee was pushed aside when he tried to stop Butcher leave a store with goods he hadn’t paid for.
“I hope the fact that, as well as jailing him, magistrates saw fit to issue Butcher with a five-year criminal behaviour order, which forbids him from entering eight shops in the area, will allow staff in those stores to feel safe when he is released from prison.”
Butcher, who admitted all charges at Southend magistrates court, was sentenced to a total of 32 weeks’ imprisonment because, he was told, the offences were so serious only a custodial sentence could be justified.
He was also issued with a five-year criminal behaviour order, banning him from entering eight shops in Southend and Westcliff: the BP Petrol Station in West Street, Farm Foods stores on Greyhound Retail Park and in Eastern Avenue, Iceland and Lidl stores on Greyhound Retail Park and Waitrose in Fossett’s Way, Eastern Avenue, all in Southend, plus the Co-Op and Sainsbury’s stores in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff.
Butcher was also ordered to pay £919.85 in compensation and a £128 victim surcharge.
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