A PROLIFIC Herefordshire Prosecco and wine thief has been jailed after committing a spate of thefts.

Jason Wargen entered guilty pleas to 26 charges when he appeared before magistrates in Kidderminster in November.

The court heard from prosecutor Nadine Mathurasingh that Wargen had assaulted a woman by beating in Leominster on October 24 and had used threatening or abusive words or behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm, or distress on October 17 and twice on October 21.

He had caused criminal damage on two occasions, destroying two bottles of Cobra beer worth £5 and belonging to Leominster's Co-op supermarket on October 24 and destroying one bottle of wine worth £5 and belonging to Leominster's Savers on October 21.

The court heard he had committed 18 counts of theft in the Herefordshire town, stealing wine worth £20 from BP and wine worth £5 From Co-op on October 16, wine worth £12 from Aldi, wine worth £20 from Co-op, and wine worth £14 from Spar on October 17, gin fizz worth £18 from Applegreen and Prosecco worth £18 from Co-op on October 19, wine worth £14 from Spar on October 21, and two counts of stealing wine worth £18 from Applegreen on October 23.

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He had further stolen Porretti beer worth £4.60 from Co-op, wine worth £9 from Applegreen, and wine worth £28 from Spar on October 24, wine worth £20 from Co-op on October 27, wine worth £20 from Co-op on October 29, and wine worth £15 from Co-op on October 30.

The 47-year old had also attempted to steal two bottles of wine worth £10 from Savers on October 21 and two bottles of Prosecco worth £18 from Savers on October 24.

Magistrates said the offending was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified and that it was aggravated by his previous record.

Wargen, who is of South Street, Leominster, was jailed for a total of 12 weeks and must pay a £154 victim surcharge.

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