A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been jailed again after a series of thefts from shops in Barrow.

Ian Riddick found himself back before magistrates after he stole more than £1,000 worth of items from multiple stores.

In one incident he stole items from a supermarket and returned to steal from the same shop only half an hour later.

Appearing before South Cumbria Magistrates' Court, Riddick admitted seven shoplifting charges.

The court heard the 43-year-old attempted to steal a coat worth £139 from Barrow's TK Maxx on November 22.

Prosecuting, Lee Dacre told the court Riddick had picked up a coat from a rack near the entrance and ran away.

He was chased from the store by a member of staff and threw the coat back as he got in a taxi.

On December 3 he stole a chainsaw worth £224 from B&Q

Ten days later on December 13 his shoplifting spree continued when he stole Nike fleeces and joggers from JD Sports worth a total of £580.

He returned to B&Q on December 15, taking a knife to remove security tags from a drill in a theft worth £193.

The court heard two days later he stole £134 worth of alcohol from the Co-op in Abbey Road before returning and taking £64.50 worth of food and drink items.

The theft amounted to more than £1,500 in total.

The court heard Riddick had 89 previous offences on his record.

In mitigation, Trystan Roberts said Riddick had struggled with drugs and committed the offences out of 'desperation'.

He said Riddick could have denied some of the offences due to unclear CCTV images but admitted the charges because he wanted to 'draw a line under everything and move on'.

Magistrates jailed Riddick, of no fixed abode, for a total of 26 weeks for the thefts, with a further ten days for breaching his post-sentence supervision.

He was ordered to pay £1,419.60 in compensation.

The court heard police wished to make Riddick the subject of a criminal behaviour order, which could ban him from several stores to prevent him shoplifting.

The application is to be considered by the court on January 18.