A prolific shoplifter went out stealing just days after being given a ban from going into stores with a bag.

Jason Cousins has a long list of previous convictions and was slapped with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) in a bid to stop his offending on July 12.

But just eight days after being given it, the 46-year-old entered the Home Bargains store in Ramsgate with a bag and started pinching items from the shelves.

Cousins, of Manston Road, Ramsgate, admitted five counts of shoplifting and four counts of breaching his CBO when he appeared in the dock at Margate Magistrates’ Court on October 4 after being caught pilfering the day before.

The court heard he stole laundry products and chilled items valued at £65.79 from the Home Bargains branch on July 20 and returned to the store later the same day and took laundry pods and a sausage roll costing £33.96.

Then just a few days later on July 23, he nipped back into the store and swiped more laundry and chiller items valued at £60.26.

Then on September 4 he went to the Poundland store in the town and stole £63 of chocolate from inside and then on October 3, he was caught in the act when he took two chicken wraps from the town’s Boots store.

During each shoplifting offence, apart from the Boots one, he took a bag into the stores with him to steal the items, thus breaching his CBO four times.

Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said: “He got the CBO on July 12 and the terms of it state he is not allowed to enter any store with a bag, but he went in Home Bargains with a bag and stole items and left without paying.

“He then went back in later that day, again with a bag and stole items… and on July 23, it was the same, he made no attempt to pay.”

But it was the incident on October 3 in the Boots store which saw the thief’s downfall after staff caught him in the act and he was detained and the items seized.

Ms Farbrace added: “His last conviction on August 7, was for common assault and theft and he was fined and ordered to pay compensation.

“He got a community order on July 12 [for other offences] and that’s when he was given the CBO and the drug rehabilitation requirement.”

Gemma Adams, defending, told the court the community order Cousins was on was still in its infancy and that he had only attended two appointments so far and that he was addicted to crack cocaine.

She also said he had not missed any appointments with the drug rehabilitation order but had missed some probation appointments.

Magistrates decided to revoke the current community order he was on and imposed an eight-week custodial sentence but suspended the term for 12 months.

He was also put on a new six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and must attend 10 sessions with probation as the bench felt there was a possibility he could be rehabilitated.

Chairman of the bench Dianne August said: “You seem quite an eloquent man, so see if you can get your life together.”

Cousins was also ordered to pay £160 compensation to Home Bargains and £63 to Poundland.