A THIEF who repeatedly stole from supermarkets and was caught out after handling stolen goods has been handed a curfew order.

Shane Evans entered guilty pleas to eight counts of theft from a shop and one count of handling stolen goods when he appeared before magistrates in Kidderminster in November.

The court heard from prosecutor Charlotte Morgan that the 36-year-old had stolen three bottles of Westons cider worth £6.40 on September 7, joints of lamb, leg steaks, and beef ranch steaks worth £48 on October 12, burgers, Jaffa Cakes, and cheese worth £37.25 on October 25, 10 Lindt advent calendars worth £70 on November 13, and two whole chickens and eight packs of bacon worth £29.50 on November 17, all from the Co-operative supermarket in Leominster.

He had also stolen three bottles of Glen Marnoch whiskey, worth £53.97, from Aldi in Leominster on September 7, Christmas decorations worth £50 from The Original Factory Shop in Leominster on November 13, and alcohol worth £90 from Aldi in Ludlow on September 5.

He had further dishonestly undertaken or assisted in the retention, removal, disposal, or realisation of stolen souvenir tins worth £20 for the benefit of another person, knowing or believing them to be stolen goods, in Leominster on September 13.

Evans, of Portna Way, Leominster, was handed a 12-month community order and an eight week curfew requiring him to remain at home between noon and midnight and monitored with an electronic tag. He was also ordered to pay compensation of £53.97 to Aldi in Leominster, £50.00 to The Original Factory Shop, £90.00 to Aldi in Ludlow, and £118.92 to the Co-operative.

No prosecution costs were ordered to be paid to allow compensation to take priority.