A PERSISTENT thief has been banned from nearly every shop in Runcorn.

Dominic Lyons was already banned from the Asda supermarket and three Co-op stores in the town following a series of convictions.

Now he has been banned from all but two shops after another spate of offences.

The 26-year-old was originally handed a criminal behaviour order lasting five years at Warrington Magistrates Court in April 2019.

But Lyons, of Fenwick Lane, has continued to steal from shops and was convicted of three more offences at the same court on Tuesday, January 12.

He stole meat and chocolate worth a total of £218 from the Aldi supermarket on Trident Retail Park and the Co-ops on Grangeway and Halton Road between Saturday, December 19, and Friday, January 8.

The shoplifter admitted three counts of theft and breaching a CBO and was handed six months in prison and told to pay court costs of £128.

His order was also amended to bar him from entering any shop in Runcorn other than those at Shopping City and the Premier Store at the Halton Lodge Centre.

Police constable Andy Maskall, of Cheshire Police’s Halton problem solving team, said: “Dominic Lyons is a prolific offender with a string of shoplifting convictions and has shown no signs of ceasing his criminal behaviour.

“He has been subjected to the terms of a CBO since April 2019.

“These are preventative orders with strict restrictions that are imposed in a bid to stop persistent offenders committing further offences.

“They are applied for separately to prosecutions for criminal offences as a last resort.

“I am pleased to say that we have seen a significant reduction of offending in Cheshire from those who are subject to a CBO.

“However, Lyons is one of the few who have continued to offend after being handed a CBO.

“He has been punished via the courts for this, and magistrates have also now granted our application for the terms of his CBO to be amended to protect more shops in Runcorn.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant financial impact on businesses, and the last thing that retail premises in Runcorn need is to be targeted by a prolific shoplifter like Lyons.

“When he gets out of prison, he will only be allowed to shop at two places in Runcorn, and Lyons is fully aware that it is a criminal offence to breach the terms of a CBO.

“The sanctions imposed for doing so can be severe, with the maximum penalty being five years in prison.”

Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane added: “I applaud the Halton problem solving team’s efforts to prevent shops in Runcorn from being targeted by this persistent shoplifter.

“There comes a point when you have to say enough is enough and take additional action to protect stores.

“The team have done this twice, by successfully applying for the initial CBO and then getting the terms changed to safeguard more shops in Runcorn.

“These banning orders are generally having the desired effect of reducing offending in Cheshire, the number of victims of crime and the demand on the police and I hope that this continues.”