Violent shoplifter found sitting opposite shop drinking stolen wine and eating stolen flapjacks

The Boyslade Road Co-op in Burbage was among the stores targeted by Freeman
-Credit:Google


A violent shoplifter was found by police sitting across the road from the Co-op he had just stolen from. Leon Freeman was even drinking wine and eating some of the flapjacks he had taken during the raid.

Prolific shoplifter Freeman had taken £172 worth of groceries from the Co-Op in Boyslade Road, Burbage, near Hinckley. It emerged in court that the 35-year-old had cycled to the store and filled a basket with goods.

Prosecutor Sukhy Basi told Leicester Magistrates' Court on Thursday (January 23): "As he was leaving he was challenged by a member of staff and he then made threats, saying, 'I'm going to take all of these and you're not going to do anything'. Police were in the area and the defendant was found sat on the ground in a street opposite, drinking wine he had stolen and eating flapjacks he had also stolen, while surrounded by stolen property."

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Court heard the Co-Op theft was one of 15 committed by Freeman between July and December last year, totalling more than £1,000 worth of goods. Freeman, who committed many of these thefts after his arrest in late July for the Burbage incident, had also assaulted and beaten store staff during the series of raids.

The most serious incident had happened about three weeks earlier at the Co-op in Rainbow Way, Hinckley, when Freeman had punched a woman. On that occasion he had been challenged by the member of staff while in the process of stealing groceries worth about £89.

Freeman swung his arms and the shopping basket around, striking the woman in the face and chest before deliberately punching her in the face, leaving her with bruising. Mr Basi said: "She said it made her feel nervous about going back to work. She said she had dealt with many shoplifters but none of them had behaved as badly as he had."

A view of Leicester Magistrates Court
Sentencing took place at Leicester Magistrates Court -Credit:Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Freeman had also threatened, pushed and elbowed other members of staff when they tried to him during the store thefts. Other targets included the Tesco Express in London Road, Hinckley, the Spar in Lutterworth Road, Hinckley, and the town's Morrisons supermarket. The highest value theft was from the Burbage Co-op when he stole £204 worth of steak, chocolates and other goods in one go.

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After his arrest he laughed during his interview with Leicestershire Police. Mr Basi said: "He laughed at various points in the interview and police said he obviously wasn't taking matters seroiusly and was finding it funny."

Rachel Diorio, representing Freeman, previously of The Meadows, Burbage, told the court that her client, who already had 58 offences on his record, had managed to stay out of trouble since 2022 but had moved in with his heroin addict dad after breaking up with his girlfriend.

She said: "The 13-year relationship broke down and he began taking heroin. He later moved onto crack cocaine. He lived with his dad and his father was an addict so it was not a good situation he was in."

She said Freeman, who appeared in court via videolink from HMP Leicester, had said he wanted to kick his drug habit and hoped to find new accommodation away from his dad after his release from prison.

She said: "He doesn't want to go back to his father's address. He needs to get clean."

Freeman, who pleaded guilty to 15 shop thefts, also admitted crimes against six shop staff - assault by beating, using threats and four counts of common assault. He was jailed for 36 weeks and ordered to pay £100 to the woman he injured plus £50 each to the five other shop staff who had been victims of his.