A PROLIFIC shoplifter has been banned from entering shops in Wrexham town centre for the next three years.

Patrick McGrath, 30, was jailed for 20 weeks for theft last month and was back in Mold Magistrates court to be made subject of a criminal behaviour order.

Under the three year order, McGrath, of Bryn Hedd, Southsea, is not to enter any retail premises in Wrexham town centre as defined on a map provided to him.

They include the Plas Coch Retail Park or Central Retail Park, while he is also not to use any threatening or disorderly behaviour and if he is asked to leave the area by police he must co-operate and not return within 24 hours.

Laura Preston-Hayes, defending, said that for a four to five month period her client had sorted himself out. He moved in with a new partner in St.Helens, went on a college course studying maths and English and got himself off the drugs he had been addicted to. But unfortunately they split up, he returned to Wrexham where he was homeless and he returned to drugs.

Ms Preston-Hayes said that had led to the shoplifting and the custodial sentence, however she went on to say that he was now positive and clean of drugs again and was planning to sort himself out on his release.

Last month he admitted shoplifting and being in breach of an earlier suspended prison sentence and was sent into custody for 20 weeks.