A prolific shoplifter owing more than £1,000 in unpaid fines has been sent back to jail.

Mark Stiggers admitted to four fresh counts of theft from the Cavendish Square, Groundwell Road, and Whitbourne Avenue Co-ops to add to his 67 previous convictions.

The 33-year-old of Priory Road pleaded guilty to taking steaks and packs of chicken worth £62.70 from the supermarket chain on March 17, 2024, and stealing five steaks and a three-piece of chicken fillets worth £35.60 from a Swindon Co-op on March 18.

On March 20, he also stole 11 packs of Richmond sausages, two packs of mince beef, four steaks, four packs of chicken, four packs of burgers, and four packs of cheese worth a total of £91.80 from another branch on March 20, and took six packs of Ariel pods worth £48 from the store on March 22.

Gordon Hotson, defending, explained how unexpected difficulties led to the defendant re-offending after leaving prison.

Mr Hotson said: “He was released with no address to go to. A bag that contained his methadone prescriptions had been taken away from him, so, inevitably, he drifted back into drug use.”

Stiggers will be sent back behind bars for a total of 10 weeks, with no order to pay costs, compensation, or a victim surcharge.