A "ONE-MAN crimewave" has been banned from all supermarkets in Hastings after months of relentless offending.

Scott Starr will also be barred from the town centre after being caught stealing from the Queen's Road Marks and Spencer store in February.

The 41-year-old was slapped with the Criminal Behaviour Order as he was convicted of the theft at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The two-year order means he faces a further sentence of up to five years if he breaches its conditions.

These state that he is not allowed to enter the Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Co-op, Aldi or Lidl stores in Hastings, except for the Silverhill Asda between 9am and 5pm.

He is also banned from the Debenhams, Superdrug, The Body Shop, Superdrug, Morrisons, Marks and Spencer, Holland and Barrett and Edinburgh Woollen Mill stores across Hastings and Bexhill - all of which he is known to have committed offences at before.

Starr, of no fixed address, may only enter Hastings town centre for pre-arranged drug and alcohol counselling sessions.

John Bownas, manager of the Hastings Business Crime Reduction Partnership, said: “Scott Starr is one of several people in the town who has been responsible for countless thefts from local shops – as well as being know to steal from parked cars.

"He can rightly be described as a one-man crimewave, and his often violent and threatening behaviour to shop staff who have tried to challenge him has made him notorious in the town.

"I’m delighted the police have been successful in their application for a CBO, and I hope this will deter him."

As well as banning him from these shops and areas, the criminal behaviour order has also been extended to prohibit the touching or entering of any vehicle without permission, or acting in an antisocial way that would result in "harassment, alarm or distress".

This is to prevent a repeat of past incidents involving Starr.

Sergeant Brett White said: “Shoplifting costs retailers many millions of pounds every year, and it is repeat offenders such as Scott Starr who have the most impact. 

"We hope this latest court decision sends out a clear and strong message that we are here to support the business community  to protect them and their staff from crime of this nature.”