A THIEF has been jailed after claiming he would commit another offence straightaway if he was not sent to prison, a court heard.

Michael Berry, 36, pleaded guilty to theft of cookies worth £5 from Marks & Spencer in Bradford’s Broadway shopping centre.

Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court heard Berry had committed the offence on Saturday – the day after he was released from prison for another offence.

His solicitor Amjad Khan said: “It was committed because he wants to go back to prison. He is honest enough to say if he is released today, he will go and commit another offence as soon as he is released from here.”

Prosecutor Richard Davies said Berry was stopped by security staff after leaving the store with the biscuits.

Magistrates jailed Berry, of no fixed address, for 12 weeks and said: “The offence is so serious that a custodial sentence is justified. The reason we are sending you to prison is you are a prolific re-offender.”