A SHOPLIFTER who relentlessly targets supermarkets in Newport city centre is back behind bars after his latest crime spree.

Heroin addict Andrew Evans persistently steals “valuable” food to sell off at knockdown prices to help fund his habit, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

The 38-year-old was banned from Newport city centre last November after a two-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) was placed on him.

The terms of this order make it illegal for him to be in Commercial Street, Clytha Park Road, Kingsway Shopping Centre, Friars Walk and John Frost Square.

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He is also barred from entering any branch of Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Boots in Newport until November 2023.

Christopher Evans, prosecuting, said Evans breached his CBO six times between June 11 and August 24 by going to Tesco on Caerleon Road and Sainsbury’s in the Kingsway Shopping Centre.

While in the two supermarkets, Evans stole goods four times from Tesco and once from Sainsbury’s.

One occasion at Tesco he was confronted by a member of staff after being spotted putting food worth £59.45 into a purple rucksack.

He was arrested last month after a security guard at Sainsbury’s recognised him from CCTV footage of a theft and tackled him before calling the police.

Evans, of Rudry Street, Newport, admitted six breaches of a CBO and five counts of theft.

The food he stole included meat and confectionary.

The defendant had 31 previous convictions for 56 offences with 38 being for theft or theft-related matters and 28 of those for shoplifting.

Stuart John, representing Evans, said: “He has an entrenched heroin addiction which has been the bane of his adult life and has made him commit nearly every offence on his record.”

He asked the court to give his client full credit for his early guilty pleas.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told the defendant: “Your behaviour is deliberate, it’s blatant and it’s repeated in order to steal valuable items.

“It’s not somebody stealing a modest amount for their own need but rather you were stealing valuable items and they were being stolen in order to sell on at a fraction of their real value, no doubt to others, all in order to fund your heroin addiction.”

The judge added: “You are now 38 and you have a truly appalling record over the years.

“You have no respect for court orders.

“There are no realistic prospects of rehabilitation.

“You have been given chances in the past and you have refused to take those chances.”

Evans was jailed for 14 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge following his release from prison.