A thief with more than 100 previous convictions was arrested for shoplifting within hours of a new supermarket opening for its first day of business.

Michael Deegan, 52, was seen by staff at Morrisons, in St James's Street, Brighton, picking up packets of meat worth £22.52 and walking out the door.

When he was stopped he shouted out a torrent of racial and homophobic abuse to police officers and store staff.

The supermarket was busy with customers who had been queuing to get in on the opening day.

Shocked shoppers heard Deegan hurling abuse as he was arrested and led from the store.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court Deegan was jailed for 16 weeks after he admitted two charges of theft and an offence of racial harassment.

Dawn Walmsley, prosecuting, told the court Deegan was arrested on Monday, the day the supermarket opened.

When homeless Deegan was searched he was found to have three DVDs he had stolen from Brighton Library along with the meat.

His previous convictions - a total of 112 which included many for dishonesty - covered 25 pages of court records.

Deegan said he had been homeless since 2000 and had been having problems claiming benefit which meant he had no money for food.

He told the court he was abusive because he had been embarrassed when he was led through the shop while handcuffed.

He said: "I was strongly harassed and verbally abused in the shop. They mocked me. I was shackled and marched through the shop like a rapist."

District Judge Christopher Holdsworth offered him the opportunity to meet with a probation officer to see if he could be given any help but Deegan said it would be a waste of time.

He said: "I know I have broken the law. I know I am a thief. But I don't get on with probation. They use words like my victims and my crimes."

The judge told him: "The officers and the staff were subjected to a lengthy period of foul homophobic and racist offences. Your behaviour and language must have caused significant offence to members of the public."

More than 50 shoppers had queued to be the first through the door when the supermarket opened.

The store, at the former Somerfield premises, has created about 140 new jobs with a further 40 former staff being taken on.