Day after day shoplifter carried out raids stealing everything from cheese to underpants

A shoplifter stole more than £2,400 worth of goods from shops in Swansea city centre during a relentless spree of offending, a court has heard. Steven Williams carried out more than two dozen raids in a three-month period, even continuing his thieving after being arrested, charged and bailed to appear in court in connection with some of the incidents.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 46-year-old has almost 100 previous offences on his record including 42 thefts and other dishonesty matters. Sending him to prison, a judge said he had carried out a "sustained and brazen campaign" of thefts and said it was clear that he could not be managed in the community.

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The court heard Williams carried out the thefts between February 6 and May 15 this year with the defendant stealing a wide range of items from cheese and meat to jars of coffee, cleaning products, air fresheners and underpants. During a number of the raids the defendant became involved in "aggressive confrontations" with staff including threatening to "punch in" one shop worker's head. Mid-way through the spree he was arrested, charged, and released on bail but failed to turn up at court and simply continued offending until he was arrested again almost a month later. The court heard the total value of the items stole by Williams was more than £2,400.

Steve Williams, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to 27 counts of theft and attempted theft when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 47 previous convictions for 96 offences including 42 for theft and kindred matters and a robbery in 2012 which saw him sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison.

Steven Burnell, for Williams, said the defendant had become homeless following a fire at the hotel where he was living and the shoplifting happened while he was having trouble finding accommodation. He said the defendant "knows his fate" and realised a sentence in the community was not an option.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the defendant that in the early part of 2024 he had carried out a "sustained and brazen campaign" of thefts from shops in Swansea city centre. He said the goods taken were valued at more £2,400 though he said he was sure Williams got much less than that when he sold the items on. The judge noted the defendant had continued to offend even while on court bail and "on the run" and said it was clear from the contents of the pre-sentence report that Williams could not at present be managed in the community and all the courts could do was to impose custodial sentences.

With the required one-third discounts for his guilty pleas, Williams was sentenced to eight months in prison comprising four months for the offences committed before the defendant's first arrest and four months for the offences committed while on bail, the two sentences to run consecutively. Williams will serve up to half the eight months in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Speaking after the sentencing, South Wales Police sergeant James Truscott said: "This conviction represents just one of many examples of positive action taken against those people who commit crime within the city centre. Any form of crime or Anti-Social Behaviour will simply not be tolerated within the city centre, and positive action will continue to be taken in an effort to reduce crime and promptly bring the offenders to justice. We continue to work closely with businesses to encourage the reporting of crimes, whilst also improving prevention tactics aimed at deterring offending. We remain committed to making the city centre a safer place to work and visit."

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