'Determined' shoplifter who terrorised Leeds Tesco jailed for 'litany' of thefts
A shoplifter who terrorised a Tesco store has been given a lengthy jail sentence, with a judge labelling him a “determined” offender.
Anthony Hughes admitted 18 thefts from shops, predominantly Tesco on Selby Road in Halton, from which he stole hundreds of pounds worth of meat, detergent, coffee and confectionary.
He was only given an 18-month suspended sentence last year for burglary, Leeds Crown Court heard.
Judge Robin Mairs activated the full 18 months, and gave him another 15 months for the catalogue of shop thefts, making a total of 33 months behind bars.
He told Hughes: “You committed a litany of offences. You are a repeated and determined shoplifter. You have done so in breach of court orders and in breach of suspended sentences.
“There’s nothing the court can do to prevent you from shoplifting other than pass a custodial sentence.”
The court heard that 24-year-old Hughes entered the Tesco Express store and stole meat, detergent and coffee on September 27, October 11 and October 16 last year. During the last theft, he told a store worker that he would “f*cking kill” them if they tried to stop him.
He then stole £150 worth of detergent from Co-op in Swarcliffe on October 22.
He then returned to the Tesco store on October 27, 28 and 30, taking chocolate, beer and coffee worth £137.
Hughes was stopped by security staff trying to steal £60 worth of items from the shop on December 27, but he returned on January 2 and got away with £250 of chocolate and then £50 worth of cheese on January 26.
Hughes then stole £48 worth of laundry products from Asda at Killingbeck on February 8, then another £42 worth two days later and £5 worth of biscuits on February 11.
On that same day he was back at Tesco Express in Halton where he took £40 worth of sweets and biscuits.
On February 22 he attended the Tesco Express in Swillington and took £100 worth of meat, lager and Red Bull energy drinks. He barged into in an employee also as he left.
Two days later he was back at the Tesco in Halton and took more biscuits.
Police later put out an appeal to find Hughes and he was eventually arrested.
He appeared in court this week via video link from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Michael Walsh said: “He was given an opportunity and he has not grasped that. He is well aware he has reached the end of the line.
“He told me ‘I need to be in prison for a bit because I’m causing havoc for my mother’.”
Mr Walsh said Hughes, who is of no fixed address, had been taking drugs but was now clean in jail.
He added: “It’s a tragic situation because of his young age.”