A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been convicted again after he stole from a shop in Barrow.

Matthew Holland, who has more than 100 previous offences to his name, stole from the TK Maxx in Hollywood Park.

The 44-year-old thief admitted the offence when he appeared before South Cumbria Magistrates' Court.

Holland entered the store on August 15 and stole a mobile phone power bank worth £15.

Appearing at court, Holland was convicted of the offence and banned from entering the store ahead of being sentenced later this month.

The case was adjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to be produced. 

At the end of last year Holland, of Gradwell Court, Walney, was jailed for 50 days after he stole from B&M in Barrow.

The court heard he stole a bottle of alcohol worth £13.75 from the shop on November 26.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre told magistrates the defendant entered the store and went to the alcohol section to pick up the vodka bottle.

He left the store without paying, setting the alarm off, the court heard.

He was later identified by security and arrested.

The court heard at the time that the defendant had 117 previous offences on his record, with 49 of those thefts.

The serial shoplifter was also jailed for 14 days in October after he was caught stealing items from two supermarkets.

The court was told Holland took food items from the Co-op in Ainslie Street on August 18.

The total value of the product was not known.

Weeks later Holland stole perfume worth £25 from Tesco on October 8.

Earlier in the year he stole food, toiletries and candles from the same Co-op store.

He was jailed for 28 days because had shown a 'flagrant disregard' for court orders, people and their property.

Holland was also ordered to pay £20 in compensation to Co-op and £25 to Tesco.

Before that in 2020, he was jailed for a string of thefts.

Magistrates heard that on September 7, the defendant stole two smart cameras and a three-in-one wireless charger worth a total of £94.97 from the Shell Garage in Abbey Road.

Two days later Holland entered the Co-op store in Barrow’s Ainslie Street and stole five bottles of alcohol worth £84 in total.