Man Accused Of Shoplifting After Store Mistakes Colostomy Bag For Stolen Trousers

A man suffering from Crohn’s disease was accused of shoplifting after a shop worker mistook his hidden colostomy bag for stolen clothes.

Lee Winters-Jones suffers from Crohn’s disease and is forced to carry his colostomy bag underneath his jumper.

He had been shopping in Next in Prestatyn, Wales, and noticed an assistant following him down the stairs.

After leaving the story and continuing his shopping in Marks and Spencer, the Next assistant confronted him and accused him of stealing.

Mr Winter-Jones, who has recently had a hernia operation, told Wales Online: “He just came up to me and said that he had a reason to believe that I had stolen some suit trousers.

“I felt forced to show him that underneath my jumper was my colostomy bag, and I told him that he had discriminated against me, he denied this.

“He said a quick sorry, then he just walked off.

“It was a horrible experience, I felt very shaken up there was a lot of people in the store, it was a public shaming and I hadn’t even done something.”

After Mr Winter-Jones’ mother complained to the Next store, he was offered £500 compensation for his “public shaming” - although he stressed that “this was never about the money”.

A Next spokesman apologised to Mr WInters-Jones, adding: “We are currently investigating this incident as a matter of urgency and liaising with the management team both at the store and head office to ensure that something like this does not happen again.”