A HEREFORDSHIRE thief has been jailed after he was caught in possession of a knife in a busy street.

Luke Fenn appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing in November after pleading guilty to one count of possessing a knife in public, six counts of theft from a shop, and two of failing to comply with a community protection notice at an earlier hearing.

The court heard the 33-year-old had been caught in possession of a kitchen steak knife with a four-inch blade without good reason or lawful authority in Leominster's Dishley Street on August 23.

He had also stolen meat worth £89.95 on April 15 and meat worth £104.15 on April 16 from Leominster's Aldi supermarket, food worth £30 from Leominster's Applegreen on April 18, and plants worth £40.99 from Leominster's Philpotts Nursery Strongbow worth £21, and alcohol worth £72.05 from Leominster's Co-op supermarket, on August 8.

OTHER NEWS:

He had further failed to comply with a community protection notice by entering Leominster's Co-op supermarket on August 8 and again on August 21.

Magistrates said that it was Fenn's second offensive weapon offence in a short period of time and that it was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified and sentenced Fenn, who is of no fixed address, to six months in prison.

The knife was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest Herefordshire court and crime news? Click here to join our Hereford Times Court and Crime group on Facebook or click here to sign up for our weekly court and crime email newsletter.