A SERIAL shoplifter banned from every Co-op in Essex terrorised staff and snatched more than £1,000 worth of meat and wine in a single month.

Daniel Bannerman, 29, carried out a 32-day shoplifting campaign in March and April, snatching meat and wine from Co-op branches in Colchester, West Bergholt and Stanway.

Ipswich Crown Court heard he also targeted a Colchester One Stop store.

The value of goods stolen totalled £1,779.

On one occasion, when a member of staff challenged Bannerman, the thief said “Come any closer and I’ll knock you out”.

Bannerman, of no fixed address, admitted 26 counts of theft, one count of attempted theft and one count of using threatening or abusive words.

The statement of a member of Co-op staff was read in court, describing Bannerman as a “prolific” offender who had committed many thefts, causing “huge financial loss”.

The statement revealed Bannerman had been verbally banned from stores, before a formal banning notice was put in place in September last year prohibiting him from entering all stores across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

The member of staff said: “He has committed a countless amount of theft over years, resulting in massive loss due to the items taken and time this has now cost.

“Staff are fearful Daniel may return at any time, causing harassment, alarm and stress to colleagues.”

In mitigation, the court heard Bannerman had been “in the grips” of a Class A drug addiction but had been helped by the 60 days he has already spent in custody.

Recorder Heather Rogers QC was told he had lost his father at a young age and was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.

She gave him an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

She said rehabilitation programmes were the “best hope”

of breaking Bannerman’s pattern of offending including a drug rehabilitation requirement, a thinking skills programme and 120 hours of unpaid work.