A man has been charged after several supermarket workers were assaulted in the space of just over a month.

Between August 18 and September 25, more than £500 worth of goods were reportedly stolen from Tesco in Farleigh Hill in Tovil, Maidstone.

During two of the incidents, staff were said to have been assaulted as a suspect left the premises without paying.

On September 4, it is alleged two employees from Tesco in Loose Road were assaulted as they tried to stop a man from entering the shop.

On September 24, a worker at the same branch was reportedly abused as they tried to intervene after a theft.

A suspect was arrested on Monday, September 25, after patrols from the town's neighbourhood task force were called to the suspected theft of confectionary from the Co-op in Loose Road.

Joseph Daniels, of College Road, Maidstone, was later charged with six counts of shoplifting, four counts of common assault and a public order offence.

The 38-year-old appeared before Medway Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 28.

He was bailed with conditions to a hearing at Maidstone Court Crown Court on May 16.