A persistent shop thief has been given an extended criminal behaviour order after causing prolonged misery to businesses in Nottingham’s City West.
John Ward had already been subject of a two-year order banning him from entering any retail premises in the city centre as well as the Morrisons Daily in Aspley Lane, Aspley.
This order was due to last until 16 February next year.
However, despite these restrictions Ward continued to offend, targeting shops across the City West area.
This included helping himself to meat and drink from the Co-op in Sneinton Dale, using threatening and abusive behaviour towards a shop worker, and stealing meat from the Co-op in Middleton Boulevard.
Ward, of no fixed address, also stole chocolates from the Co-op in Bracebridge Drive, two coats worth £310 from the Blacks store in Wheeler Gate, Nottingham city centre, and chocolates from the Tesco Express in Fletcher Gate, in the city centre.
When the 21-year-old was detained by ‘My Local Bobby’ safer city officers at the Blacks store, on 1 April, he bit one of them and spat in the face of one of his colleagues.
Ward was subsequently charged and went on to plead guilty to five counts of theft, two counts of assault by beating, two counts of breaching a criminal behaviour order and one count of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
These offences were committed between 27 February and 1 April.
On the back of Ward’s persistent offending, City West neighbourhood officer PC Mark McKay applied to the courts to vary his criminal behaviour order to prevent and deter any further harm being caused to local businesses.
An extended two-year order was granted by Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday 22 September.
This order will now run until February 2029.
In addition to those stores he had already been banned from, Ward is also now additionally excluded from the Morrisons Daily store in Broxtowe Lane, the Co-op stores in Middleton Boulevard, Wollaton, and Bracebridge Drive, the Asda in Strelley Road and the Wollaton Service Station in Wollaton Vale.
PC McKay said: “Shop managers have told me how fed up they are with repeat and regular offenders like Ward who return time and time again with no regards for the consequences of their actions.
“It was clear how Ward’s behaviour was having a detrimental financial and emotional impact on local businesses, making retail staff feel unsafe and the significant stress of coming face-to-face with prolific offenders like him.
“I’m pleased the court has now extended his criminal behaviour order as well as banning him from additional stores.
“I hope these measures help provide some respite to local businesses who Ward has caused prolonged misery to.
“We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour and I hope it also reassures our local retailers and wider communities that we will use all powers available to us to crack down on offenders and protect residents and businesses from harm.”
