A NEWPORT man has pleaded guilty to robbing a Spar with a ball bearing gun and going on a four month crime spree where he stole liquor, lager and fuel from at least 10 different locations across the city.

Liam Thompson, 29, of Elgar Avenue, Newport, held up the Spar store on Chepstow Road, Newport, on January 17 of this year with a BB gun.

Today, at Cardiff Crown Court, Thompson pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm, 14 separate counts of theft, one count of stealing a Mercedes Sprinter van, one count of driving while disqualified, one count of driving without insurance.

The 14 counts of theft relate to a spate of incidents stretching from March 5 to June 21 this year.

Thompson started his spree by stealing two bottles of vodka from Tesco’s on Cambrian Road, Newport on March 15.

In the same month he took another two bottles of vodka from a Londis store in the city, before making off with fuel from a Newport service station on March 21.

He stole more fuel on March 26 from the Tesco’s at Newport Retail Park, Spytty, before stealing a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky from Sinclair service station on Corporation Road on the same day.

On April 12, Thompson took more fuel from the Malpas Road service station, and both the Tesco’s garage and the Shell garage on Chepstow Road.

Thompson stole meat from the Co Op on Cromwell Road on May 3, before making off with two bottles of spirits from the Nash Stores on Nash Road on May 7.

On May 21, Thompson stole 24 cans of lager from the Londis on Aberthaw Rise, and went back to the same store on May 29 to steal 24 more cans.

Not satisfied with his haul on May 29, Thompson also returned to the Chepstow Road Spar he had robbed on January 17 and took another two bottles of whiskey.

Thompson also pleaded guilty to stealing a Mercedes Sprinter van on June 21, driving it without insurance and while disqualified, and stealing from it a “quantity of confectionary”, two set of keys, an I-pad and a wallet with cards.

Thompson had already been convicted of burglary and theft by Gwent Magistrate’s Court on June 8 last year.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins told the defendant he would could not sentence him until a full assessment had been made of his "level of dangerousness", and of the lasting impact on two victims.

Thompson will now be sentenced in Cardiff Crown Court on August 30.

Judge Jenkins gave no indication of the type of sentence Thompson faces.