A prolific thief from Stevenage who continued offending after receiving first a community order, then a suspended sentence has been jailed.

James Arnold, of Round Mead, was handed a 33-week prison sentence after being convicted of two thefts in the town.

The 32-year-old, represented by Roger Ralph, pleaded guilty to stealing ice cream worth £6.10 from a One Stop shop on October 22. He denied a second charge of stealing food worth £84.42 from Tesco on July 15, but District Judge Annabel Pilling found him guilty.

Arnold admitted failing to come to court in answer to bail and breaching his community order, made on March 29 this year, by not attending a drug keyworker session.

Both the community order and the suspended sentence – eight weeks, suspended for 12 months from August 17 – were for similar thefts.

Ms Pilling sentenced Arnold to eight weeks in prison for the ice cream theft, eight weeks for the theft from Tesco and eight weeks for the offences that had originally warranted a community order.

She also activated the eight-week suspended sentence, adding another week for failing to come to court in answer to bail – making a total sentence of 33 weeks.

Arnold must also pay compensation of £6.10 to One Stop and a victim surcharge of £115.