A serial thief has been sentenced after pleading guilty to targeting Tesco stores in Southampton, Eastleigh, and Fair Oak.

James McMurray also pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to attend to an assessment after being tested for a controlled Class A drug.

The first theft occurred on July 22 2024, when he stole boxes of chocolate valued at £139.30 from a Tesco shop in Southampton.

On August 17 Murray, 37, of Portswood Road in Southampton, helped himself to a woman's parcel.

The following month he targeted Tesco stores twice in 24 hours, stealing £26.60 of mince on September 9, followed by chocolate and deodorant worth £88 the next day.

On November 18 he pinched a doorbell from a building in Harefield Road, Southampton.

The following month McMurray committed two further offences against Tesco, stealing chocolates and sandwiches valued at £36.80 on December 14, followed by chocolates worth £103.50 on December 20.

Appearing at Southampton Magistrates' Court, he received a community order for each of the offences.