A prolific 28-year-old shoplifter with a 'terrible criminal record' has been jailed for 60 weeks.

At Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday (Feb 9) prosecutor Charlotte Evans said Benjamin Savory of Melmore Gardens, Cirencester, had been busy shoplifting over a six month period and was before the court for nine theft offences, three of which were in breach of a criminal behaviour order designed to prevent him from such behaviour.

“On June 19, 2021 Savory stole plants valued at £36 from Lidl; On September 24, 2021 he stole meat from the Co-operative store to the value of £87.50; On October 7, 2021 Savory was responsible for stealing meat valued at £250 from the Londis store; On November 10, 2021 Savory stole a coat from the Regatta store in Cricklade Street Cirencester, valued at £47," said the prosecutor.

“Savory then stole 14 bottles of spirits from the Co-operative supermarket valued at £400 over three occasions on December 3, 17 and 20.

“On January 11 and 12 of this year Savory stole a number of items from the Gardiner Haskins store in Cirencester valued at £389.

“The total value of the thefts Savory is responsible for is £1,309 which was conducted over a six month period. Three of these thefts were committed in breach of a criminal behaviour order which prohibits him from entering all but three retail outlets in Cirencester."

The court was told that Savory had received a 36 week suspended prison sentence in June last year for committing an attempted burglary at Porters Bar in Cirencester with intent to steal on October 1, 2020 and the burglary of Foro Coffee and theft of £200 from within on the same date.

Steven Young defending said: “Because of Savory’s terrible criminal record I invite the court to defer sentencing him today, so that he can prove that he is getting his life back on track as he has just started addressing his drug habit.

“If the sentence is deferred for three months, it would give him time to prove himself. If he is jailed he will not receive any additional professional help to prevent his cycle of reoffending.

“While being remanded in custody he has weaned himself off methadone.”

Savory admitted the nine shoplifting charges over the six month period and the three breaches of the criminal behaviour order on November 10, 2021 and on January 11 and 12, 2022.

The judge, Recorder Richard Mawhinney told Savory: “I will not be deferring your sentence today, as suggested by your advocate. The prison term you will serve for the shoplifting offences and the breach of the criminal behaviour order will be 32 weeks.

“Additionally I have to activate the suspended prison sentence, which was originally 36 weeks, but will now be 28 weeks.

“So in total this will be a custodial sentence of 60 weeks.

“I am also rejecting the proposal to expand your criminal behaviour order to cover the whole of Gloucestershire as the level of restriction requested is disproportionate to your offending.”