Prolific Swindon shoplifter jailed and issued with CBO

A prolific Swindon shoplifter has been jailed and issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for more than 20 offences.

Mark Stiggers, 34, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and issued with a CBO which will last for two years in a hearing on Tuesday (25/03).

The CBO bans Stiggers from entering any retail or business premises from which he has been banned, and he must, if asked, leave any retail or business premises immediately without the use of aggressive or abusive language or behaviour.

Breaching a CBO is a criminal offence and punishable by up to five years in prison.

Inspector David Tippetts, based in Swindon, chairs a multi-agency panel which decides whether to apply for a CBO.

He said: “Stiggers is a prolific criminal who has shown complete disregard to imposed bail conditions and has plagued small shops in East Swindon over the last few months causing much distress to shop workers.

“This order sends a clear message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated, and any breaches will be followed up with positive action.

“This is the third such order that has been obtained this year and we will continue to use these against other prolific criminals who are causing antisocial behaviour within Swindon.

“There is a multi-agency panel that meets monthly to discuss applications of this nature to ensure that the conditions imposed are proportionate and provide the best opportunity to prevent offending.”

CBO applications are the subject of a multi-agency panel prior to being submitted to ensure the conditions are proportionate and appropriate to address the offending behaviour and offenders are not set up to fail.

The panel consists of professionals from the Probation Service, Substance misuse support services, Swindon Borough Council and mental health services.

There are also representatives from the Swindon Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Integrated Offender Management team and the Neighbourhood Harm Reduction Unit.