A SHOPLIFTER pulled out a brave Morrisons manager’s front teeth and gouged his eye as he tried to stop him stealing a trolley full off alcohol.

Ben Stead viciously attacked Craig Thomas at the supermarket giant’s Ebbw Vale store just before Christmas.

The thief had simply walked out of the store pushing the trolley with security tags still attached to booze worth nearly £325 before being confronted.

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“The defendant said to him, ‘Come near me and I’ll stab you,’” Peter Donnison, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court.

“He then became violent and there was a physical struggle between them.

South Wales Argus:

Morrisons in Ebbw Vale. Picture: Google

“Mr Thomas tried to restrain the defendant before they both ended up on the floor.

“While struggling on the floor, Stead bent his fingers right back and then proceeded to put his hand into his mouth and he pulled at his teeth causing them to break.

“His front facing teeth were pulled out.

“The defendant also put his finger into Mr Thomas’ eye and applied pressure

“Mr Thomas described the pain as being excruciating.”

Mr Donnison added: “Others colleagues stepped in to assist and the defendant was eventually restrained by a number of people.

“The police attended and he was arrested.”

As well as losing his teeth, Mr Thomas suffered a broken finger and was bleeding from the ear and mouth.

The court was told he has since left his job causing him “a significant decrease in salary”.

Stead, 28, of High Street, Rhymney, Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and theft.

The offences were committed on December 20, 2021.

Stead has previous convictions for wounding with intent, grievous bodily harm, ABH, supplying a class A drug and theft.

He is currently serving a nine-year extended prison sentence for a petrol station robbery committed not long after these offences.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins criticised prosecutors for the delay in the case coming to court.

He heard that Stead had been released under investigation despite being arrested at the scene and interviewed the next day.

The defendant was jailed for two years and eight months.

Judge Jenkins praised Mr Thomas for his bravery.