A prolific thief who has racked up almost 100 convictions has been jailed after stealing meat from shops with his girlfriend.

Michael Scott was with Jodie Young when he stole chicken, bacon and sausages from several stores in Maidstone.

The 53-year-old, who has been addicted to heroin for more than a decade, was waiting to be sentenced for other shoplifting offences when he took the items.

Appearing before Maidstone magistrates on July 1, the court heard Scott had been convicted of theft 98 times.

Terry Knox, prosecuting, outlining Scott's latest crimes, said: “On January 25, last year, he goes into the Tesco store in Maidstone at 8am and selected multiple packets of uncooked meat worth £50 and puts them in his jacket and leaves. He was captured on CCTV.

“Then it’s the BP petrol station in Maidstone on January 30 and February 1, this year, and he is with his co-defendant, Miss Young.

"She enters first and goes to the meat aisle and selects some food and then he enters and they pass in the meat aisle and he puts bacon and sausages in his coat.

"A total of £131 of items were taken, again, caught on CCTV.

“It’s the same thing on February 1, same store, she goes to the meat aisle and then a moment later he enters and they pass in the meat aisle.

"She has a trolley and he puts sausages and bacon in his jacket, this time £87.50 worth.”

Mr Knox added: “The final theft happened in Sainsbury’s in Maidstone on May 6, and £48 of goods were taken when he went into the store with a bag for life and went to the meat aisle.

"But as he tried to leave, a meat alarm triggered and the manager wrestles the bag from Scott and he leaves the store.

“He was said to be aggressive, but (the manager) got the bag from him."

Magistrates heard Scott and Young, who live together, had been charged with the thefts from the BP garage and Young had already been dealt with in court.

Scott, of Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, admitted theft when he appeared in court in February and was granted bail - but went out stealing again.

He had been given a suspended sentence in October last year of 50 days, suspended for 12 months.

In February, he had been given an 18-month conditional discharge for theft.

Victoria Hart, defending, described his crimes as "poor decision making".

“He’s had a 12-year addiction to heroin, he’s now on a methadone script which has gone down from 100ml to 30ml,” she added.

Magistrates heard his co-defendant had been given a suspended sentence for her part in the thefts, as well as having to pay compensation.

Ms Hart added: “She’s worried about the rent if he gets custody, there will be a gap in the benefits and she will not be able to pay the rent.

“She’s also not got a bank account and if he goes to prison they could lose their accommodation.”

Magistrates said they had no alternative but to jail Scott, who admitted the charges, because he kept re-offending and had activated the suspended sentence.

He was jailed for a total of 150 days but that was reduced to 137 when they deducted the time he had been in custody.

Scott was also ordered to pay £159.25 compensation to the shops he stole from.