Chelmsford: Prolific shoplifter jailed and banned from city stores

A man who has more than 120 shoplifting convictions has been jailed and also banned from several Chelmsford stores for five years.

Following a trial in his absence, Kieran Spilling, 40, of no fixed abode, was convicted of two counts of theft from Boots in the city’s High Chelmer Shopping Centre on 1 & 2 December 2023.

At Chelmsford Crown Court, he was jailed for a total of four months and also given a five-year criminal behaviour order.

The court had previously heard that Spilling had ‘at least 127 convictions for shoplifting’.

After being identified by a Chelmsford Town Centre Team officer, two colleagues arrested Spilling in nearby Duke Street shortly after the second theft. He had stolen two beauty gift sets and an electric toothbrush, valued at £270.

Inspector Sam Girdlestone, of Chelmsford Town Centre Team said after the hearing on 21 May 2024:

“Kieran Spilling has a long history of offending and causing anti-social behaviour in and around Chelmsford, as the court was told.
“His latest arrest came about thanks to the keen eyes of our officers and the conviction gave us an opportunity to apply for a criminal behaviour order, which gives us the tools to deal with him robustly should he ignore it.
“The terms are quite strict and give retail staff, customers, police officers and police community support officers the power to tell Spilling to leave any store or premises where he is causing a nuisance.
“If he refuses to obey staff or customers, then police can be called. If Spilling is arrested for ignoring any condition of the CBO he can be put back before a court, which can impose a jail term, a fine or both, if he’s convicted of breaching it.”

Under the terms of the CBO, Spilling must not enter the High Chelmer Shopping Centre or any Boots, Superdrug or Marks and Spencer store in the city.

He is also forbidden from possessing any open container or vessel of alcohol, or to be intoxicated through drink or drugs, in a public place.

Spilling must also leave any store or premises when asked to by staff, customers, a police officer or a police community support officer.

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