A man involved in a rampage of theft and criminal damage to vehicles in Trowbridge town centre has been sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Louis Barnes-Hutchinson, 22, pleaded guilty to 20 separate offences when he appeared before Swindon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (January 3).

He pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft from shops, three counts of thefts from motor vehicles, three charges of burglary and three charges of criminal damage. A charge of common assault on a Morrisons store employee was withdrawn.

Magistrates said the offences of burglary were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

Barnes-Hutchinson, of Cloverfields, Langshott, Horley, in Surrey, was ordered to pay a total of £601 in compensation.

He was given 10 months in prison for one of the burglaries and a five-month consecutive prison sentence on one of the other burglary charges.

The court heard that entered the Tesco Extra superstore in County Way, Trowbridge, on December 31 as a trespasser with intent to steal.

One charge of burglary involved the theft of £114 worth of alcohol. On the same date, he committed a third burglary offence when he stole alcohol worth £1,368 and three mobile phones of an unknown value from the Tesco superstore.

The court heard he committed thefts at Sainsbury’s superstore in British Row, Trowbridge, on several dates including December 15 (two), when he stole a microwave worth £110 and nine packets of razors worth £234.

On December 16 (two), he stole a microwave and a pack of boxers worth £124, and an electric toothbrush worth £100 from Sainsbury’s.

On December 18, he stole four packets of razors from Sainsbury’s worth £108.

On December 26, he stole alcohol and chocolates worth £91.10 from the Morrisons Daily store in Seymour Road, Trowbridge.

He twice returned to the convenience store on the same date to steal alcohol and chocolate worth £64.20, and more alcohol worth £47.40.

On December 28, he stole alcohol and food worth £23.30 from the Morrisons Daily store.

On December 30, he stole alcohol worth £175 from the Sainsbury’s superstore on British Row.

On December 31, he stole clothing worth £300 from the Next store in the Gateway shopping mall; clothing worth £222 belonging to Alex Sanders-Page; clothing and tools worth £365 belonging to Ian Jackson; and sunglasses worth £157 belonging to Abigail Rickard.

Three of the thefts were from motor vehicles parked near the Premier Inn in St Stephen’s Place, Trowbridge.

Barnes-Hutchinson also pleaded guilty to criminal damage of the three vehicles on December 31, with the total cost an estimated £488.

He was asked to pay compensation of £157 to Ms Rickard, and £222 each to Mr Sanders-Page and Mr Jackson.

A second man, Robert Campbell, 39, of no fixed abode, was charged with five offences of criminal damage and one count of assault.

He appeared at Salisbury Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (January 2) and was released on bail until a further hearing on Thursday, March 14 at the same court.