A 36-year-old criminal has been jailed for more than eight months following a catalogue of shoplifting offences over 12 weeks.

Paul Martin, of Regent Street, Church Gresley, was brought before Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court where he admitted seven shoplifting offences across Swadlincote and three charges of assault.

Martin admitted stealing food worth £6.59 from Tesco Express Woodville, on July 17. He also admitted assaulting a man in Tesco Express, Woodville, on July 25.

Convicted shoplifter Paul Martin

Martin also walked into Tesco Express, in Church Gresley, on August 1 and stole food and sun cream worth £6.50. He admitted assaulting a woman in Tesco Express, Church Gresley, on August 1.

He then admitted stealing food worth £3.79 from Tesco Express, Woodville, on August 2.

He admitted stealing food worth between £20 and £30, from Sainsbury’s, Church Gresley, on September 16, as well as food from Sainsbury’s, Church Gresley, on October 3, and food worth £34 from Tesco Express, Church Gresley, on October 13.

He also admitted stealing food worth £30 from Tesco Express, Woodville, on October 15.

Martin was jailed for a total of 34 weeks because of his "catalogue of offences while subject to suspended sentence order," the court said. He was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

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