A serial thief has been jailed for stealing food valued at more than £2,000 from shops in Oxford. 

Craig Ballantyne, of no fixed abode, was charged with 24 counts of theft committed between March 28 and September 13 this year, a court heard. 

Ballantyne, 36, pleaded guilty to all charges at Oxford Magistrates' Court and was jailed for 24 weeks. 

READ MORE: Scales of Justice results from Oxford Magistrates' Court

The items stolen were as follows. 

  • On April 25, he stole alcohol from Sainsbury's valued at £48. 
  • On April 24, he stole shower gel from Asda valued at £57. 
  • On March 28, he stole meat from Iceland Food Warehouse valued at £57. 
  • On September 2, he stole coffee from Co-Op valued at £68.75. 
  • On September 2, he stole tins of spam, corn beef and tuna from Co-Op valued at £120.20. 
  • On August 27, he stole washing tablets from Co-Op valued at £78.30. 
  • On September 12, he stole meat from Co-Op valued at £89.45. 
  • On September 13, he stole chocolate from Co-Op valued at £20.45. 
  • On September 10, he stole chocolate and sweets from Co-Op valued at £120.75. 
  • On September 10, he stole meat from Co-Op valued at £50. 
  • On September 10, he again stole meat from Co-Op valued at £50. 
  • On August 15, he stole chocolate from Co-Op valued at £35.45. 
  • On September 1, he stole chocolate from Co-Op valued at £138.10. 
  • On July 27, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £95.73. 
  • On July 13, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £96.98. 
  • On August 15, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £37. 
  • On August 16, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £59.10. 
  • On August 12, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £248.55. 
  • On July 6, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £67. 
  • On July 27, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £37.74. 
  • On August 14, he stole food from Co-Op valued at £300. 
  • On July 28 he stole food from Co-Op valued at £21.75. 
  • On August 13 he stole food from Co-Op valued at £186.20. 
  • On July 26 he stole food from Co-Op valued at £73.75. 

The total value of the items taken was £2,157.60. No surcharge was ordered. 

On the court record, the reason for imprisonment said: “Failure to comply with requirements of post custodial sentence supervision.

"Reason for custody: because the defendant has a flagrant disregard for court orders, because the defendant has a flagrant disregard for people and their property.”