A PENSIONER with more than 100 previous convictions has been sentenced for stealing from a supermarket.

Serial shoplifter Derek Bigley, of Hall Park, Burneside, admitted he stole £114.91 worth of items from Morrisons in Kendal when he appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on November 27.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre said Bigley – aged 70 – stole six slate plates, three placemat sets, two brooms, two pink sponge cloths, a frying pan, a sink organiser and an oversized hoodie on May 6 this year.

The court heard Bigley received an 18-month conditional discharge on March 6 earlier this year for stealing items from TK Maxx on Stricklandgate in Kendal.

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Mr Dacre said the defendant had now accumulated 115 offences on his criminal record.

In mitigation, James McCall-Harkness said: “Essentially this is low level theft of unusual items.

"I do not have an explanation as to why he has stolen these items. It appears he is a collectomania having stolen for several decades starting in his youth.

“There has been no real planning at all. It seems to be some kind of compulsion.”

Chair of the bench Charles Crewdson sentenced the defendant to a 12-month community order with one requirement to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Crewdson told Bigley: “We have no idea why you do this and frankly your shoplifting days should be over with you being beyond 70.

“You have pages of convictions dating back to 1967 for these kinds of offences. At some point, you are to decide it is not worth it.

“We do not want to see you again. You have you got to stop this.”

Bigley was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £114 surcharge.