A SERIAL shoplifter who repeatedly stole from a small family business despite being under a court curfew and probation supervision has been jailed.

Hani Hemmat, 46, began stealing from shops in Norton, Ryedale, shortly after moving to an address there this Spring.

York Magistrates' Court heard that he targeted the shop at Tyke 2000 garage in Norton three times in two days and when the owner went after him, he threatened to hit him with a bottle of wine, saying: “If you want a fight, come on.”

Jailing him for 16 weeks, district judge Adrian Lower told him: “Stealing from shops is not a victimless crime. For some stores, stealing makes all the difference between staying in business and going out of business.”

Larger businesses recoup their losses by putting up prices for those willing to pay, he said.

Hemmat, formerly of Commercial Street, Norton, and who gave his mother’s Harrogate address as his home when asked in court, pleaded guilty to six charges of theft and one of using threatening words or behaviour.

He was jailed for 16 weeks. He must also pay £100 compensation to the garage shop owner, £24 compensation to Tyke 2000 for the goods he stole from it that were not recovered, £20 to the Co-op and £24 to Marks and Spencer.

During the Norton thefts, he was on a nightly curfew imposed at Leeds Magistrates' Court in April when he was living in Ousegate, Selby, for theft and assault at Leeds Railway Station. He was also being supervised by the probation having recently been released from prison.

His solicitor Shah Ahmed said: “He is an alcoholic.” When his alcoholism was out of control, Hemmat stole alcohol to drink. He also had mental health problems including depression, and tried to deal with them by drinking.

Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, said Hemmat stole two ready meals and a four-pack of cider together worth £20 from the Co-op store in Starbeck, Harrogate, on January 8.

On June 2, he began a spate of stealing in Norton during which he raided shops five times in three days.

At 7.40am he stole a bottle of wine from Marks and Spencer and the next day at 10.54am am he stole another bottle of wine and a bag of crisps.

At 9.01pm on June 3 he was at Tyke 2000 garage when he took two bottles of wine worth together £16.

He was back at the garage at 7.30am on June 4 when he stole two bottles of wine and the garage owner followed him. The shopkeeper managed to get one bottle back from Hemmat but the thief then threatened him with the other and the shopkeeper stepped back. Hemmat escaped with the bottle in his hand.

At 9.30am he was back at the garage shop and took a tube of Pringles. A shop assistant got it from him, but he took another and the garage owner then told him to leave and not return.