A PROLIFIC offender with more than 200 crimes on his record has been jailed for 36 weeks.

Michael Thompson Collier from Tow Law, County Durham, pleaded guilty to eight offences involving a string of thefts, a burglary and assault between January 12 and Monday, March 20.

They include thefts of alcohol from Aldi, in Chester-le-Street, and Marks and Spencer, in Durham, plus washing liquid and powder from the Co-op, in Crook.

Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard that the 37-year-old was caught trying to steal a purse from a staff member’s bag at Escape Hair and Beauty in Crook on March 16.

And the court heard on Monday he rammed a trolley “crammed” with £900 worth of items into a security guard as he tried to make off from Sainsbury’s in Durham.

Paul Donoghue, mitigating, said the defendant had carried out the offences due to a simple lack of money and nature of his lifestyle.

For burglary Collier was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody to run consecutively, with 12 weeks for the theft on Monday and six weeks for common assault.

Collier, of Bridge Street, Tow Law, was ordered to serve a further concurrent six weeks for each of the other five offences and was ordered to pay compensation of £225 to Marks and Spencer, £98 to Aldi, £9 to the Co-op and £50 to the assault victim.