A “PROLIFIC” criminal, with 108 offences to his name, is back behind bars after he stole a television from a supermarket and used an innocent taxi driver to help him make his getaway.

Matthew Peter Jones had taken Valium before he walked into the Asda store in Brynmawr and took the set without paying for it before fleeing in the cab.

The 35-year-old then got the unwitting driver to drop him off in his home town of Abergavenny before doing a “runner” from the taxi while carrying the TV.

Jones, of Hillcrest Road, was jailed for 18 weeks by Deputy District Judge Hodkinson for failing to comply with the community requirements of a suspended sentence order.

That sentence related to the theft of the £299 TV and the failure to pay the taxi driver the £40 fare, the offences being committed last October.

Prosecutor Andrew Twomlow told Newport Magistrates’ Court that Jones had first been asked to be taken to the Morrison’s supermarket in Ebbw Vale.

He entered that store, returned empty-handed and then asked to be taken to Asda in Brynmawr where he stole the television.

Jones asked the cabbie to take him to Abergavenny where he asked to be dropped off.

Mr Twomlow said: “He left the taxi and told the driver he would leave his bag as security and got out with the TV.”

The court heard how the cabbie, growing suspicious that his passenger would not return despite promising to do so, looked inside the bag and found it stuffed with empty plastic bags. He never saw Jones again.

The defendant had taken Valium on the day of the offences and said he had “loaned” the TV for £30 to a man who was never named, the court also heard.

The prosecutor also outlined the defendant’s criminal record, 36 convictions for 108 offences, including “numerous” thefts and a 16-month prison sentence for burglary.

Andrea Nash-Harding, mitigating, said Jones had “drug issues” but was trying to turn his life around.

She said the father had just found a £300-a-week job as a labourer.

Despite praising Jones’ solicitor for her submissions, the judge said it would take “an enormous leap of faith” to believe Jones would comply with any further community requirements of the initial suspended sentence order.

He jailed him for the 18 weeks and made no order for costs or a victim surcharge to be paid.