A PROLIFIC thief who snatched a student's bag at a city restaurant before she chased him down and caught him has been jailed.

Terry Wakeling, of Bonar Road, Wood Farm, Oxford, had already admitted the single count of handling stolen goods.

The 38-year old drug addict, who has a long history of similar offences, was also in breach of numerous suspended sentences Oxford Crown Court heard at his latest sentencing yesterday.

Prosecutors told the court that the incident took place on the afternoon of September 11 when a student was eating alone at Cornmarket Street's Wasabi Sushi and Bento restaurant.

She had with her a backpack containing clothing and a laptop and when she had finished her meal and was about to leave she noticed it had gone.

Staff trawled through CCTV and saw Wakeling leaving the restaurant with the bag.

The woman then gave chase, fist searching Bonn Square before finding him with her coat on one arm at Queen Street.

She shouted at him to return the goods, which he denied having, before a laptop fell from her bag and onto the ground.

Nearby security staff came to investigate the commotion and Wakeling was arrested.

In mitigation, Peter Du Feu said that despite his large number of previous convictions he was committed to turning his life around and kicking his long-standing drug addiction.

Judge Zoe Smith jailed Wakeling for six months for the offence and also activated the previously imposed suspended sentences totalling an additional 14 weeks.

All previous community orders were also revoked.