A man has been sentenced for repeated shoplifting and public order offences in Havant

Mark Stuart Walkley, of no fixed abode, appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Friday (24 June), where he was sentenced to five months in prison and issued with a two year Criminal Behavioural Order.

Walkley was arrested and charged with eight counts of theft and three counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The charges relate to a number of incidents at the One Stop store on Botley Road, the Co-op store on Middle Park Way and the Asda store on Purbrook Way across May and June of this year.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five months in prison, as well as being issued with a Criminal Behavioural Order which will prevent him from entering the stores where these incidents took place.

Havant Acting Inspector Hayley Burden said: “We are pleased that Walkley will now face the consequences of his crimes and hope that this sentence and Criminal Behavioural Order bring some comfort to the businesses and members of staff that he has targeted.

“Nobody should have to come to work and feel harassed or unsafe and we will continue doing everything we can to ensure that members of the public and local businesses can go about their daily life without being affected by this type of criminal behaviour.

“We will always do our best to signpost suspects to support services, of which there are many. These services help and support a huge number of people to become contributing members of society or simply the best version of themselves that they can be. For a small minority, support is not enough and prosecution is the only option.

“We will focus our activities on preventing these types of offences occurring and ensuring the courts have the full facts on which to sentence those that commit such crimes.”