A SERIAL shoplifter who punched a worker when he was caught in the act has been jailed and banned from every shop in the city centre.
Stuart Divers, 37, of no fixed address, has been convicted of shoplifting, or attempted shoplifting, 19 times in the last four years.
On many of these occasions he was drunk and shouted abuse at staff when challenged.
Most recently he was caught trying to steal from the Spar store in Upper Parliament Street.
Richard Antcliff, head of neighbourhood enforcement at Community Protection, a partnership between police and the city council, said: "During an incident in February, Divers visited the Spar Convenience Store on Upper Parliament Street and attempted to steal alcohol. When asked to leave, he assaulted a member of staff by punching him in the stomach and then proceeded to hurl racist and threatening abuse at other staff members.
"Before police arrived, his behaviour escalated to the point where he began damaging stock by pushing it off the shelves and throwing it around the store.
"This caused staff to close the store for the safety of their customers until such time that officers arrived to arrest Divers.
"The store remained closed for some time afterwards in order for staff to clean up the mess and damage he had caused.
"This behaviour caused significant distress to staff members and people who witnessed it and resulted in losses for the store, both in terms of stock damage and lost revenue. This is totally unacceptable."
Divers appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court and admitted two charges of shop theft and one of racially aggravated public order.
He was jailed for 16 weeks and given a two year Criminal Anti Social Behaviour Order which bans him from entering any retail outlet within Nottingham city centre.
Councillor Alex Norris, said: "Community Protection applied to the court for the CRASBO to protect staff and customers. This individual is now banned from all city centre stores for two years. If he breaches these conditions he risks being brought back before the courts."
Details of Divers have been circulated to shops to ensure that any breaches can be dealt with swiftly.
