Jail for brazen shoplifter who assaulted Halifax B&M store detective during crime spree

Joshua Anderson, 28, was today (Tuesday, September 19) jailed for a total of 14 months for a series of offences committed over six weeks in June and July.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Anderson, of no fixed abode, had started offending again soon after being released from a prison sentence and Judge Kirstie Watson said his latest crimes represented an increase in seriousness.

Prosecutor Ashleigh Metcalfe detailed a series of shoplifting offences carried out by Anderson at the B&M store on Horton Street and at a service station on Pellon Lane.

Anderson got away with hundreds of pounds worth of goods including phone chargers, a kettle and a toaster, packets of coffee, dishwasher pods, energy drinks and protein bars.

During one theft at the service station, Anderson was grabbed by a member of staff but he managed to get away after punching the man during a scuffle.

Just three days later, Anderson was spotted in the B&M store by a plain clothes detective but when he confronted the defendant, Anderson pushed him over, causing him to lose his balance.

Miss Metcalfe said the store detective heard a snap as he hit the floor and knew immediately that his leg was broken.

Anderson ran off and the complainant was taken to hospital where he had to undergo surgery and have a frame fitted to his leg to allow the bone time to heal.

Anderson, who had 24 previous convictions for almost 50 offences, pleaded guilty when he appeared before the magistrates court to a number of theft offences relating to incidents at B&M and the service station, two non-dwelling burglary matters relating to attempts to steal from the B&M warehouse area, failing to provide a saliva sample for a drugs test, common assault and wounding the store detective.

Judge Watson said the injured store detective had graphically described how he heard a snap and it was not yet known how long it would take for his leg to heal properly.