A PROLIFIC shop thief was ordered to clean up his act after admitting his latest crime spree.

Anthony Cornford stole items from convenience stores in Worthing.

His latest spate of thefts lasted from January 16 to February 28 this year.

In total he stole items worth £414.

The offences put Cornford in breach of a community order put in place for three shop thefts in January.

At the Co-op in Worthing he stole five bottles of wine worth £40 and meat and fish worth £30 on January 16 and again on January 27.

The first theft was just two days after he had appeared in court for shoplifting.

Then on February 8 Cornford stole wine worth £30 and on February 10 he raided the Co-op and stole steaks and wine worth £104.

At Tesco he stole ten bottles of red wine and one bottle of white wine worth £74 on February 2.

Then he raided the store on February 5, stealing Prosecco worth £16, before again stealing white wine worth £65 on February 12 and 11 bottles of wine worth £99 on February 19.

His final crime was stealing wine from Tesco worth £53 on February 28.

Cornford, 31, of The Avenue, Goring, admitted eight shop theft charges at Worthing Magistrates' Court last month.

He was ordered to pay £333 in compensation to the convenience stores.

Magistrate Harvey Nash told the defendant to clean up his act, with nine months of treatment for drugs dependency and 12 rehabilitation sessions.