A THIEF has been jailed after repeatedly stealing from Herefordshire shops.

Joshua Symonds was convicted of seven counts of theft from a shop when he appeared before magistrates in Kidderminster.

The court heard from prosecutor Eleanor Peart that the 27-year-old had stolen a bottle of gin worth £8 from Savers in Leominster on October 23, dental products from Lloyds Pharmacy in Leominster on October 31, and cosmetics worth £30 from Boots in Leominster on November 4.

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He had also stolen Christmas gift sets worth £70 from Boots in Leominster on November 8, further Christmas gift sets from the same shop on November 9, toothbrushes worth £18 from Lloyds Pharmacy in Leominster on November 15, and a crate of Stella lager and energy drink worth £21 from Applegreen Service Station in Leominster on November 15.

Magistrates said the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified, as Symonds has a flagrant disregard for court orders, was subject to a suspended sentence order at the time, and because of his pattern of offending.

Symonds, of Bargates, Leominster, was jailed for 10 weeks.

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