A THIEF has been sent to the crown court after repeatedly stealing from Hereford shops and causing a man actual bodily harm in an attack.

Chad Smith entered guilty pleas to five counts of theft when he appeared before a district judge in Kidderminster.

He had also previously been convicted of nine further offences for which he is yet to be sentenced, the court heard.

The 40-year-old admitted stealing meat worth £80 on July 2, ice cream and biscuits worth £15 on July 5, meat worth £100 on July 13, and meat worth £78 on July 16, all from Co-op in Hereford's Holmer Road, and stealing alcohol worth £141.50 from Tesco in Bewell Street.

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He had previously been convicted of stealing an electric toothbrush worth £450 from Boots on March 8, perfume from TK Maxx on March 23, meat worth £86 from the Holmer Road Co-op on April 8, meat worth £50 from Tesco Express on April 10, electrical equipment worth £119 from B&M, and meat worth £70.45 from Holmer Road Co-op on April 17.

He had also previously been convicted of assaulting a person, causing them actual bodily harm, in Hereford on March 25, and failing without reasonable excuse to answer to bail on May 18.

Smith, of Commercial Road, Hereford, was bailed with conditions not to enter Co-op in Holmer Road, Tesco Express in Whitecross Road, Tesco Bewell Street, and TK Maxx, Boots, B&M, and Iceland, all in Hereford.

He will appear before Worcester Crown Court for sentencing on July 25.