A THIEF who was banned from town centre shops has been put behind bars after stealing from a budget grocery store.

Alan Kendrick,  47, was given a two-year criminal behaviour order earlier this year with conditions not to enter any of the shops which are part of the Shop Watch schemes in Whitehaven and Workington.

But Kendrick breached the order on August 15 when he entered Heron Foods in Workington and stole food worth £6.29.

The defendant, of no fixed abode, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop and breaching a criminal behaviour order when he appeared before Workington Magistrates’ Court this week.

Magistrates felt only a custodial sentence could be justified due to Kendrick committing the offences while on post sentence supervision and because of his poor record which includes a history of breaching court orders.

Kendrick was jailed for four months. He must also pay £3.15 in compensation and £85 costs on his release from prison.