A repeat shoplifter has been banned from four shops in a town.

Adrian Marsh could be jailed if he enters any of the stores in the Whitstable area.

It comes after he was made the subject of a criminal behaviour order (CBO) at a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates' Court last Thursday.

This prohibits him from entering The Co-Op in Oxford Street, Boots in the High Street, Sainsbury's in Reeves Way and Tesco in Millstrood Road for three years.

The breach of the CBO is a criminal offence and, if Marsh does enter any of the stores, he can be brought back before the court and potentially jailed.

Police applied for the order after Marsh admitted two counts of theft relating to offences in the Co-Op on February 17 and April 1 this year.

The 41-year-old, of Canterbury Road, Whitstable, was given a conditional discharge for three years in relation to those offences at the same court hearing.

PC Chris Green said: "Repeat shoplifters like Marsh have a big impact on businesses and their staff and we are determined to use every option open to us to protect those victims.

"We will continue to apply for criminal behaviour orders, like that imposed in this case, to prevent persistent thieves from entering and offending in stores which have been targeted."