A prolific shoplifter has been jailed after punching a Tesco employee who attempted to stop the thief leaving the store with four stolen bottles of vodka.

Joleen Maughan stole £96 worth of alcohol from Tesco in Hampton, Peterborough, before staff confronted her.

The 37-year-old used a duffel bag to conceal the items on March 20 and when questioned by employees threatened them with a needle before punching one of them in the face.

Officers searched the area and arrested Maughan in Leaf Avenue.

She appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on March 21 charged with assault and theft but was released on bail.

Video footage shows Maughan attacking the worker as they attempted to retrieve the stolen goods.

Two weeks later Maughan was spotted by CCTV entering Boots in Queensgate and leaving with two Ted Baker gift boxes.

Peterborough City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) arrested her on suspicion of theft from a shop and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which she was issued in July last year - banning her from Queensgate Shopping Centre and Asda in Rivergate.

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Maughan appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on April 4 where she was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after admitting all offences.

The court also ordered her to pay £50 in compensation to the victim of the assault.

PC Ruth Watson, from the city centre NPT, 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."

It comes after a gang were jailed following a series of raids on Tesco cash machines in a year-long crime spree.

The quartet used angle grinders and crowbars to break into stores and open up their cash machines, helping themselves to thousands of pounds.

Businesses in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and in the West Mercia police area were also targeted.