A PROLIFIC shoplifter from Dudley has been jailed after he stole cheese from a shop.

Richard Lawley, aged 34, of Wolverhampton Street, was sentenced to ten months in prison as the offence breached the conditions of his criminal anti-social behaviour order (CRASBO).

Police arrested Lawley after he was spotted in Tesco Express, Brierley Hill, and One Stop, Pensnett, with a female acquaintance on Saturday July 20.

Lawley attempted to take a large amount of cheese from the chilled counter at Tesco but staff stopped him from leaving, however Dudley Magistrates Court was told how the convicted shoplifter then went on to steal cheese worth £36.45 from One Stop.

The conditions of his CRASBO - which he received back in January for stealing aftershave, cheese, chicken and power tools during a series of thefts from stores across Dudley - ban him from entering selected retail stores across the borough including shops at Merry Hill.

Inspector Eddie Boyle, from the Dudley offender management team, said: "We take repeat offences of this nature seriously and the fact that this man has gone on to commit similar offences, resulting in him breaching his order, has landed him back in prison.

"A CRASBO is designed to restrict the movements of persistent offenders to deter them from returning to a similar pattern after serving their sentence. However, as this case shows, it also can see people serve a further sentence if they fail to comply.

“We hope this serves as a reminder to anyone committing offences in Dudley that we will pursue offenders and put them before the courts, no matter what type of crime it is that they are committing."

People are urged to report breaches of such orders to police by calling the 101 non-emergency number.