Man handed chain-wide stores ban

Teenager Steven Howarth has been banned from all branches of Woolworths after abusing shop staff in Welshpool while drunk.

The 18-year-old, of Awelon, Trewern, Welshpool, is already subject to an anti-social behaviour order.

He yesterday admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress in Welshpool on December 16 and stealing a £1.99 baguette from the town's Spar shop on January 28.

Sentence was adjourned until March 6 for reports after town magistrates heard he was also in breach of a suspended sentence.

Miss Margaret Roberts, prosecuting, said that under the terms of Howarth's Asbo, he was not to be drunk in a public place or have alcohol with him in public in Welshpool.

But on December 16 he had gone into Woolworths on Broad Street smelling of alcohol and asked an assistant for a particular brand of chocolate. When she found it, he showed her he had £2 and asked if he had enough money. She told him he had to go to the till to pay.

Howarth was swaying from side to side and became verbally aggressive towards the assistant at the till. The manager asked him to leave and as he escorted him to the door, Howarth threatened to "kick his head in".

"The defendant is now barred from every Woolworths store across the country," said Miss Roberts.

On January 23 Howarth had gone into the Spar shop, but was asked to leave. A customer reported he had taken a baguette and hidden it under his coat - which was confirmed by CCTV footage.

Mr Robert Hanratty, for Howarth, said he denied threatening the store manager, but had been upset at being asked to leave the store.