An aggressive shoplifter was granted his wish to be jailed after he pleaded with magistrates to be locked up again.

As soon as Joshua Norton was brought up from cells to the dock he opened his mouth before the bench had heard the facts about his crimes.

The 38-year-old told them: “I have a cracked rib and my ankle is killing me. If you don’t send me down, I’ll be gutted.”

The court then heard, Norton, of no fixed address but from the Canterbury area, plead guilty to two counts of shoplifting, one attempted theft and a charge of threatening behaviour when he appeared in the dock before magistrates in Margate on October 4.

They heard he stole various goods valued at £37.65 from the Co-op store in Whitstable on July 24 and attempted to steal washing items and sweets valued at £14.50 from the Iceland store in the town on September 23.

The bench also heard on October 3, he swiped two ice lattes valued at £4.20 from the same shop where he also abused a shop worker.

Julie Farbrace prosecuting said: “He was verbally abusive and said ‘I know where you live’ to the shop worker’.”

However, magistrates also heard Norton claimed the staff member had been verbally abusive towards him during the incident and that as a result of carrying out these latest offences, he had now been recalled to prison to serve the rest of his previous jail term.

When asked by the chairman of the bench, Dianne August, if he had anything to say about the matters, Norton simply replied: “I have nothing to say.”

Mrs August added: “So Mr Norton we have considered the facts and decided you do get your wish.”

She then told him he was being jailed for six weeks for all the offences.

At this point Norton asked: “I will serve half of that?” and when he was told he would, he replied: “I’ll step up my game [next time] then.”

When he was then told to be quiet, Norton started shouting and said: “Jail me for extra time for being rude.”

Magistrates sent him down to the cells but told him he would have to pay £50 compensation to his victim and £37.65 to the Co-op.