WATCH: Prolific Peterborough shoplifter who threatened Tesco staff at Serpentine Green with needle jailed

A prolific Peterborough shoplifter who threatened Tesco staff with a needle before punching one worker in the face has been jailed.

On 20 March, Joleen Maughan, 37, entered Tesco in Serpentine Green, Hampton, with a duffel bag and used it to conceal four bottles of vodka worth a total of £96 and left without making any attempt to pay.

On her way out of the shop, staff confronted Maughan, but she kept walking and threatened them with a needle before punching one of them in the face.

Police were called who searched the area before locating and arresting Maughan in Leaf Avenue, Hampton.

She was charged with assault and theft from a shop before appearing at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on 21 March but released on court bail.

Almost two weeks later, on 2 April, Maughan was spotted by CCTV operators entering Boots in Queensgate and later leaving with two Ted Baker giftboxes.

CCTV continued to monitor her walk to a shop in Park Road where she was arrested by the Peterborough City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) on suspicion of theft from a shop and breaching a CBO, which she was issued in July last year, banning her from Queensgate Shopping Centre and Asda in Rivergate.

She was later charged with theft from a shop in court, and breaching a CBO.

Maughan, of Redmile Walk, Dogsthorpe, appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (4 April) where she was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after admitting all offences.

She has also been ordered to pay £50 in compensation to the victim of the assault.

PC Ruth Watson, from the city centre NPT, welcomed the sentence handed out, and said: “Assaults and abuse towards retail staff is unacceptable and no one should be subjected to this treatment, especially in the workplace.

“The CBO gives us greater powers when it comes to Maughan’s offending, as if she is found to be in breach of the order, we are able to arrest her and put her back before the courts.”