A JUDGE has told prosecutors to ensure repeat shoplifter Christopher Simpkins gets a lengthy sentence “when” he re-offends.

Recorder Stephen Climie made the demand despite cutting the 35-year-old’s jail term for ten thefts.

Simpkins was appealing against a 33-week jail term imposed for ten thefts and one drugs offence.

The judge, sitting with two magistrates, was forced to chop six weeks off the jail time as he had already been sentenced for two of the thefts. Another six weeks came off as two offences were committed prior to another jail term and he changed the drugs offence from three weeks to a £110 fine.

Simpkins, of Sycamore Grove, Pinehurst, has to serve 18 weeks.

Tim Hills, for the Crown, said the first two offences of theft, in October, were dealt with by a suspended sentence in November.

On December 15, Simpkins stuffed joints of meat into his jacket. in the Co-op in Taw Hill. On December 21, he took three bottles of vodka, worth £27, from another Co-op.

He was jailed for 24 weeks for other matters on January 2 but on April 3 he went to B+M Bargains at the Transfer Bridges where he took seven cans of deodorant.

A few days later he took £70 of meat from the Co-op in Cricklade Road.

On April 8 he was caught with a tiny amount of cocaine then took £90 of cheese from the Cricklade Road Co-op.

On April 17 he took £44 worth of air fresheners from the Co-op in Beechcroft Road.

A week later at the Whitbourne Avenue Co-op he took six bottles of spirits worth £102.

The following day he took deodorant and shower gel worth £70 from the One Stop Shop in Guildford Avenue.

Chris Oswald, for Simpkins, said the sentence was too long as he had only taken £506.05 of goods.

But the judge said had he sentenced him in the first place he would have given him 12 months for persistent offending.