A Dover man who ignored a warning that he would go to prison if he committed one more offence has been sent to jail after committing three thefts!

Anthony Dawkins, 45, of Bunkers Hill Avenue, appeared in court on September 12 and was given a suspended prison sentence after admitting stealing meat worth £37.48 from a shop in Castle Street, Dover, on July 22.

The court heard he had previous shoplifting convictions, including stealing sunglasses worth £105 and cosmetics worth £52.21 last year. He was sent to prison for 56 days for those offences.

However, on September 26, just two weeks after being given the suspended sentence, he stole meat and beer costing £94.40 from a supermarket in Canterbury, on October 5 he stole a socket set, of an unknown value, from Halfords in Dover and six days later he stole three joints of beef and one joint of lamb, worth £44.97, from a Dover supermarket.

He admitted all three offences when he appeared at Channel Magistrates Court on October 21 and magistrates sent him to prison for 84 days.

But because the offences were committed while he was on a suspended sentence the overall length of his jail term was increased to 140 days.