Prolific shoplifter who inflicted misery jailed and banned from city centre

Basharat Hussain was sentenced to six-weeks behind bars

A prolific shoplifter who inflicted misery on shopkeepers has been banned from entering parts of Coventry. But Basharat Hussain will first serve a six-week jail sentence for shoplifting.

The 51-year-old was also given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) due to a spree of anti-social behaviour in the city centre. Police said he had caused "constant issues" for shopkeepers.

Hussain, under the CBO, cannot enter the city centre unless for an arranged appointment with the police. It prohibits him from entering shops and, if found in breach, he will be arrested.

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Hussain, from Coventry, was arrested on October 7 on suspicion of shoplifting. He was charged and remanded and pleaded guilty a day later.

The order was issued and Hussain was jailed at Coventry Magistrates' Court on October 8. A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "Hussain is the latest in a series of prolific offenders we have served with a CBO.

"CBOs give us greater powers to arrest people known to be responsible for breaching their conditions and causing anti-social behaviour. The terms of these orders allow us to ban known offenders from areas where they are known to cause problems.

"They can be arrested for going to those areas and put back before the court immediately. We know how much of a concern anti-social behaviour is and are committed to keeping Coventry city centre a safe place for the public to visit and work in"