Serial shoplifter dubbed 'the Lynx thief' been banned from a city centre

Steven Betts, 40, has been told to make a clean break from Leeds city centre by magistrates. West Yorkshire Police said Betts stole 29 cans of Lynx from a Poundland store on July 10. He then returned to the same shop on July 24 and stole £20 worth of aerosols before trying to leave the shop.

The force said Betts was nicking the deodorants to feed his solvent abuse and assaulted assaulted staff when challenged about the thefts. He shoved one female member of staff who tried to detain him before throwing a punch at a second when she came to help her colleague.

He was detained by a female member of staff who he shoved in the chest before throwing a punch at her colleague when she came to help. He was charged with a total of seven thefts, two counts of common assault, assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage.

He admitted the offences and was jailed for 25 weeks at Leeds Magistrates Court last Friday. Magistrates also imposed a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order which includes an exclusion from the city centre on his release from prison.

Inspector Natasha Tierney said: "Betts' prolific offending has had a very significant negative impact on staff at several city centre businesses. Not only has he repeatedly stolen from them, but he has turned violent when challenged, causing understandable distress and upset to those involved."