A ‘PROLIFIC offender’ has been jailed after stealing more than £1,000 worth of items from various supermarkets across Northwich and Knutsford.

As well as multiple shoplifting offences, Jamie Clarke, of no-fixed abode in Northwich, was sentenced for common assault, criminal damage, assaulting an emergency worker, and the theft of a pedal bike at Chester Magistrates’ Court on May 19.

In total, the 35-year-old indicated guilty pleas to one count of burglary other than a dwelling, one count of attempted burglary other than a dwelling, one count of attempted theft from a vehicle, one count of criminal damage, one count of common assault, and eight counts of shoplifting.

The burglary charge relates to an incident at Tesco Express, Chester Road, Northwich, on Monday, May 15, of this year, where Clarke stole £330 of alcohol after smashing a window.

The attempted burglary and attempted theft from a vehicle charges relate to incidents at Riverside Trading Estate, Navigation Road, which also occurred on the same day.

The shoplifting charges relate to incidents which have occurred at retail stores in Northwich, Hartford, Davenham, Weaverham and Knutsford.

On April 6, 2022, Clarke stole £100 of fish from the Co-op in Hartford, plus another £200 of fish on April 10.

Other charges include the theft of £114 of foodstuffs from Tesco in Weaverham on April 11 of this year, £200 of items from Aldi in Knutsford on April 16, and £30 of food from Tesco in Northwich on April 28.

Clarke also stole £48 of items from Sainsburys in Northwich, £15.75 worth of food from SPAR in Northwich on May 9, and £200 of foodstuffs from Aldi in Knutsford on May 11.

The remaining charges against Clarke related to the assault of a woman on May 3, as well as causing damage to a handbag belonging to her.

During the hearing, he also admitted assaulting a police officer in Northwich on March 22 of this year and stealing a pedal cycle to the value of £350 on March 18.

During his court hearing, Clarke was jailed for 32 weeks due to the ‘nature and seriousness’ of his crimes, his ‘previous convictions’ and the fact he is a ‘prolific offender’.

On top of this, he will need to pay £350 in compensation for the bike theft and £50 in compensation to the police officer he assaulted.