A THIEF who stole hundreds of pounds worth of meat and alcohol from shops across Andover has been sent to prison.

Andrew Hugh Thomson, of The Hexagon, Andover, went on a crime spree over months stealing items from businesses across the town.

The 39-year-old appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 20, and admitted to nine counts of theft spanning seven months.

Magistrates were told that on December 11, 2017, Thomson stole two bottles of Jack Daniels from Waitrose in the Chantry Centre costing £38, and just two days later he took two nail polish box sets worth £120 from the now closed Marks and Spencer.

But his spate of crime did not stop and on January 12 he pinched a Marc Jacobs Decadence set from Boots costing around £80, and on January 22 he took a bottle of Jack Daniels from Tesco.

Thomson then travelled to Longparish on February 2 and stole three packets of bacon worth £9.60 from Marks and Spencer.

And on March 15 he went to the Mole Country Stores, in Joule Road, and stole Toggi Columbus Boots costing £164.99.

On April 20 he took a quantity of meats from the Co-op in Andover to the value of £54 and then on May 16 he returned to Waitrose to steal a selection of steaks.

The court heard that Thomson then went to The Range, on Northern Business Park, and stole a £99 hoover.

His spree came to an end on June 18 when he visited Tesco to take a quantity of meats costing £64.36.

Thomson also appeared before the court after pleading guilty to assault and using threatening, abusive or insulting words against his victim.

In sentencing, magistrates imposed 36-week prison sentence due the severity of the offences.

Thomson must also pay a £200 victim surcharge.