34-year-old Jamie Lee has been jailed for 16 weeks after admitting to a series of thefts from shops across the Isle of Wight, as well as assaulting a shop worker during one of the incidents.
Lee, of Grove Close, Newport, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Friday (23rd May) where he pleaded guilty to 9 counts of theft and 1 count of assault by beating.
The court heard how Lee committed a string of thefts across Newport between mid-April and mid-May, stealing hundreds of pounds worth of goods from various retailers.
The offences included:
- Stealing bedding items worth £248 from B&M on 17th April
- Stealing steaks worth £240 from M&S on 6th May
- Stealing handbags worth £219.92 from TK Maxx on 12th May
- Stealing ornaments and plants worth £170 from Matalan on 2nd May
- Stealing cleaning products worth £164.36 from B&M on 24th April
- Stealing an orchid tree and duvet sets worth £150 from Matalan on 5th May
- Stealing a handbag worth £69.99 from TK Maxx on 15th April
- Stealing a stool worth £48 from TK Maxx on 19th April
During one of the thefts on 6th May, Lee also assaulted a shop worker at M&S in Newport.
Magistrates sentenced him to 16 weeks in custody, with the bench stating that the offences were so serious that only immediate imprisonment could be justified. The sentence was made to run concurrently on all matters.
The court was told that Lee carried out the offences while on licence, having recently been released from prison. He has a history of previous convictions, including a serious offence in 2024 for which he received a 13-month prison sentence after threatening to infect police officers with Hepatitis B.
Due to his financial situation and outstanding fines, no compensation, court costs or victim surcharge were ordered.
In the old days shops use to employ security
maybe it’s time to start employing security again.
Also I read recently that self service tills are costing
businesses in the UK £4 Billion a year.
It seems many people are not scanning many items.
Bring back the manned checkouts.
Come on, get those tags up and running, the tags could set off an alarm as he walks into shops. Ban him from shops so he has to shop online, he would have to pay then.
He’s obviously not vegan
£240.00 of steak, not to mention handbags
“say no more”!
Lol