A PROLIFIC thief who stole hundreds of pounds worth of items from town centre shops has been jailed.

Robert Walton, 54, has been ordered to serve 12 weeks behind bars after admitting to a string of thefts during a hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates Court last week.

Walton, of no fixed address, had stolen £174 worth of meat from Tesco in Market Place, Braintree, in three separate incidents between February 25 and March 8.

The thief also stole a microwave from B&M from George Yard, Braintree, worth £49.99 and an Apple Iphone 8 from a woman in two separate incidents which also occurred on March 8.

Magistrates ordered Walton to serve 12 weeks in jail due to his previous offending behaviour which court documents state had ‘fed a drug habit’.

Walton was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115.