A Colchester shoplifter has been jailed after breaching a five-year ban which stopped him from entering Co-op stores in Essex. 

Shaun Kinghorn, 36, of Winchester Road, was arrested by Essex Police on July 20 near the Co-op in Wimpole Road after they received a report of shoplifting 

Kinghorn appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on July 22 and admitted 13 counts of shop theft from both the Wimpole Road store and the shop in Mersea Road. 

He also admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order imposed last year, which banned him from going into any Co-op store in Essex until 2028, and one charge of common assault of a shop worker. 

The court heard that Kinghorn stole items valued at hundreds of pounds, including meat, soft drinks, pet food, laundry detergents and air fresheners. 

He was jailed for six months and ordered to pay his assault victim £150 compensation. 

Sergeant Dean Young, of Colchester Local Policing Team, says: “Our officers attended a report of shoplifting and quickly located Kinghorn while searching the area. 

“It was a clear breach of his criminal behaviour order and, thanks to the evidence pack provided by the Co-op, we were able to present a strong case at court. 

“Criminal behaviour orders offer offenders the opportunity to mend their ways but Kinghorn ignored this and now he has been jailed for breaching his. 

“Kinghorn’s conviction for assaulting a member of shop staff demonstrates that shoplifting is not a victimless crime. I hope his jail sentence reassures staff in the stores he targeted that we take this type of crime seriously. 

“We ask retailers to report all shop thefts and related anti-social behaviour to us and provide as much evidence as you can to assist our investigations. 

“We also use the information you provide to identify emerging trends and target our operational activity.”