Ashfield shoplifter jailed for hurling racist abuse and assaulting a shopkeeper

Anthony Smedley shoved the chocolate up his sleeve and threatened to spit when the manager of High Street Express told him to return them on February 6, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

He claimed he had a disease and behaved as if he was going to spit. When the shopkeeper followed him outside, he was aggressive and made racist comments.

Smedley, 32, started to hit him repeatedly and the shopkeeper grabbed a sign to shield himself before retreating back inside.

He hammered on the the door with such force it smashed at a cost £1,128. A member of the family pulled him back and a scuffle broke out.

Members of the public restrained him until police arrived and stolen nicotine sprays were found in his sock when he was arrested.

The shopkeeper described himself as shocked by the incident, and, although uninjured, said it profoundly affected the way he views strangers entering his premises.

Smedley walked into Tesco in Kirkby where he is “well known to staff” and was followed until he turned and said: “Excuse me duck, is there a piece of chewing gum on my shoe? You are f****** following me around.”

He loitered outside before stealing two £16 bottles of car coolant and cycling off on January 30.

And he stuffed £10 of pork joints up his jumper in Aldi, Kirkby, where he is also well known, on February 3.

The court heard Smedley has 53 previous convictions dating back to 2009, including racially-aggravated public order, and he was jailed for 15 months for a serious assault in 2021.

Daniel Scothern, mitigating, said Smedley turned to drink and drug abuse following his parents’ death and wanted to apologise to the shopkeeper.

“He has sobered up while in prison," he said. “He has sought help for his alcohol problem. He is clean of drugs. He hopes to return to a job erecting marquees. He is looking forward to re-establishing contact with his three children.”

Smedley, of Lawrence Avenue, Kirkby, admitted racially-aggravated battery, criminal damage and four shop thefts at Nottingham Magistrates Court on February 8.

On Thursday, Recorder Simon Ash KC jailed him for 24 weeks.