Prolific thief behind bars after assaulting elderly man who tried to catch him

A man who assaulted a pensioner that tried to stop one of two thefts he committed has been jailed.

Andrew Bullivant, 35, of no fixed abode, committed the offences while subject to a community protection order last month.

He appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on December 17 where he pleaded guilty to the Spalding incidents, having stolen meat to the value of £118 from Sainsburys on November 15; as well as £107 of laundry products from B&M on November 16, assaulting an elderly gentleman who tried step in and recover stolen items.

South Holland’s Neighbourhood Policing’s Sergeant Callum Corder said: “We appealed to the public for assistance in locating Bullivant and received several reported sightings. The final sighting enabled us to use our powers to enter an address and arrest Bullivant.

“My team will continue to seek as many protection notice conditions as possible to prevent individuals like Bullivant — who target businesses and, in this case, use violence against upstanding members of the public simply attempting to recover stolen property on the business’s behalf — from causing further harm.”

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