Calum Edwards (Image: Gwent Police)
Last Updated: 18 seconds ago
A prolific shoplifter has been sentenced to prison and hit with a two-year ban from multiple retailers in Newport after he admitted stealing goods worth more than £900.
Calum Edwards, 35, of Fairoak Avenue, Newport, appeared before Newport Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to 16 counts of theft carried out across a string of shops between February and April.
The spree
Edwards repeatedly targeted stores in the city over a period of roughly two months, taking items including chocolate, steaks, coffee, meat and washing products.
His offending at Tesco accounted for the bulk of the haul:
- February 18 – chocolate bars worth £51
- March 15 – chocolate worth £48
- March 17 – food and washing items valued at £57.80
- March 31 – chocolate worth £100
- March 31 – washing products worth £100
- April 4 – meat valued at £100
- April 5 – chocolate worth £150
- April 5 – steaks and washing products worth £31.50
- April 6 – steaks worth £50
- April 11 – steaks worth £40
- April 12 – steaks worth £66
- April 13 – steaks worth £40
- April 14 – steaks of an unknown value
He also stole coffee and steaks worth £32.29 from Spar on March 3, meat worth £21 from Spar on March 10, and coffee and chocolate worth £38 from B&M on March 25.
Criminal behaviour order
The court imposed a criminal behaviour order lasting until April 15, 2028, which prohibits Edwards from entering any Tesco or Spar store in Newport. He is also banned from the M&S Foodhall at Friars Walk shopping centre, as well as Maesglas Retail Park and Maesglas Industrial Estate.
Sentencing
Edwards was jailed for 18 weeks and ordered to pay compensation following his release from custody.
Previous offending
The sentence is the latest in a pattern of similar behaviour. Edwards was imprisoned for six months in December 2025 for comparable offences.
