Several supermarket shoplifters have been brought to justice in court throughout October.

Swindon Magistrates' Court dealt with the case of 54-year-old Douglas Holmes, from the High Street in Marlborough.

The defendant pleaded guilty to stealing items worth a total of £55.19 from the Waitrose on The Podium in Bath on June 10, 2019.

He received an £80 fine and must also pay £85 in court costs as well as £32 to fund victim services.

John Mann, of Massey Road in Devizes, indicated a plea of guilty to stealing alcohol and goods worth a total of £396.84 from the Trowbridge Sainsbury’s on May 19, 2023.

The 54-year-old has been remanded on unconditional bail until his next hearing at Swindon Magistrates Court on November 13.

Elliot Brown, of Overbrook in Eldene, pleaded guilty to stealing goods worth a total of £40.35 from the Co-op in Swindon on May 8, 2023.

The 40-year-old must pay the value of the stolen goods back in compensation, along with £85 to cover court costs.

The money will be deducted from his benefits.

Julian Smith, of Barnard Street in Salisbury, failed to comply with the requirements of a community order made by Swindon Magistrates Court after being convicted of theft from a shop.

On October 18, magistrates re-sentenced him for those original offences, in which the 40-year-old stole meat worth £140.73 from the Waitrose in Chippenham on March 6, 2022, stole £12 worth of items from the town’s Co-op on June 8, 2023, and took various washing detergents worth £53.15 from Wilko on August 15, 2023.

He received a five-month jail sentence which has been suspended for 12 months due to what the documents describe as a “wilful and persistent failure to comply with the requirements of a community order”, and must carry out six months of drug rehabilitation plus up to 15 rehab activity days.

These latest court results come as Wiltshire Police marks Safer Business Action Week, which this year focused on preventing shoplifting.

A recent British Retail Consortium survey suggested that shops lost £953 million of goods as a result of theft in 2021/2022, and more than half of all shoplifting incidents are not being reported to the police.

Earlier in the week, officers arrested one man and then released him on bail following a raid in the Broadgreen area of Swindon, with members of the Central South Neighbourhood Policing Team providing reassurance to other businesses in the area.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “It is vitally important that Wiltshire Police deliver a quality police service and respond to all those who are a victim of crime and need help.

“After recently hearing from the retail sector, from local shopkeepers to bigger corporate organisations, it is clear to me that they do have a right to feel frustrated – especially when they do not receive an expected level of response when they report crimes.

“As ever, I will continue to engage with local businesses, listen to their concerns and scrutinise the police response on their behalf, alongside encouraging other partners, such as local authorities, to look more closely at how we can all work together more effectively to tackle this growing problem.”