A 29-year-old man who stole more than £1,000 worth of skin care goods from a Boots store in a west Suffolk town has been given a 12-month community order.

Connor Williams, of Oakes Close, Bury St Edmunds, was before Ipswich Crown Court via a video link from a prison after admitting a charge of theft, which was also a breach of a nine-month suspended sentence for actual bodily harm.

The court heard on June 19 this year he went into Boots at Cornhill in Bury St Edmunds.

Staff noticed a number of skin care products missing from the shelves and looking over the CCTV saw the defendant taking them and walking out without paying, the court was told.

Williams returned later the same day and took a collection of candles, the court heard.

Then, on June 24, he returned once more and took more skin care products from the shelves - making the approximate total loss of £1,300 to the retailer.

Williams has 19 other convictions for 36 offences with nine similar theft offences.

In mitigation, the court heard Williams had “genuine remorse” and long-standing mental health problems.

“He knows he needs to be there to support his partner and children,” said defence barrister Lynne Shirley.

“He has come on leaps and bounds in the last two months and his mental health is stable,” she added.

Judge David Wilson imposed a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity days and said the defendant would be monitored by an electronic tag for three months.

For the breach of the suspended sentence, he gave him a £50 fine.