Criminal Behaviour Order amended for jailed shoplifter from Runcorn

A persistent shoplifter from Runcorn has been jailed and is only allowed to shop at two places in the town upon his release from prison.

Dominic Lyons, who was most recently living in Fenwick Lane, Runcorn, was handed a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order by Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 10 April 2019.

Amongst other stipulations, the CBO banned him from entering the town’s Asda supermarket and three Co-op stores in Runcorn.

Since then the now 26-year-old has continued to steal from stores in Runcorn, including at ones he was not prohibited from entering under the terms of his CBO.

Lyons’ most recent offences saw him steal:

• Meat and chocolate worth a total of £124 from the Aldi supermarket at the Trident Retail Park on Saturday 19 December
• Meat worth £40 from a Co-op store in Grangeway on Thursday 7 January
• Meat worth £54 from a Co-op store on Halton Road on Friday 8 January.

The offences were all captured on CCTV and Lyons was located and arrested on Whitchurch Way in Runcorn on Monday 11 January.

He was subsequently charged with three counts of theft from a shop and three counts of breaching his CBO.

Lyons pleaded guilty to the offences at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 12 January.

He was jailed for six months and ordered to pay costs of £128, and the conditions of his CBO were amended in a bid to safeguard more stores in Runcorn.

The amended banning order prohibits Lyons from:

• Entering any retail premises in Runcorn other than the stores at The Shopping City and the Premier Store at the Halton Lodge Centre
• Concealing any item prior to payment at any retail premises in Cheshire.

Police Constable Andy Maskall, of the Halton Problem Solving Team, said: “Dominic Lyons is a prolific offender with a string of shoplifting convictions and has shown no signs of ceasing his criminal behaviour.

“He has been subjected to the terms of a CBO since April 2019. These are preventative orders with strict restrictions that are imposed in a bid to stop persistent offenders committing further offences. They are applied for separately to prosecutions for criminal offences as a last resort.

“I am pleased to say that we have seen a significant reduction of offending in Cheshire from those who are subject to a CBO.

“However, Lyons is one of the few who have continued to offend after being handed a CBO.

“He has been punished via the courts for this, and magistrates have also now granted our application for the terms of his CBO to be amended to protect more shops in Runcorn.

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant financial impact on businesses and the last thing that retail premises in Runcorn need is to be targeted by a prolific shoplifter like Lyons.

“When he gets out of prison, he will only be allowed to shop at two places in Runcorn, and Lyons is fully aware that it is a criminal offence to breach the terms of a CBO.

“The sanctions imposed for doing so can be severe, with the maximum penalty being five years in prison.”

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, added: “I applaud the Halton Problem Solving Team’s efforts to prevent shops in Runcorn from being targeted by this persistent shoplifter.

“There comes a point when you have to say enough is enough and take additional action to protect stores.

“The team have done this twice, by successfully applying for the initial CBO and then getting the terms changed to safeguard more shops in Runcorn.

“These banning orders are generally having the desired effect of reducing offending in Cheshire, the number of victims of crime and the demand on the police and I hope that this continues.”

Anyone who encounters Lyons breaching the terms of his amended CBO at any point before 10 April 2024 is asked to contact Cheshire Constabulary on 101 to report it.