A PROLIFIC thief with a “terrible record” of more than 170 offences to his name is behind bars.

Craig Anthony Williams, 35, from Newport, was jailed for 20 weeks by Judge Daniel Williams at the city’s crown court.

Prosecutor Gareth James said the defendant had 58 previous convictions for 173 offences – including 75 for theft or similar or charges.

The court heard how Williams, of Buchan Close, The Gaer, stole a wallet after breaking into a car in the Allt-yr-yn area of the city in late September.

The defendant then used a bank card in the wallet to steal cigarettes worth £51 from an Asda store.

By committing these offences, Williams was in breach of a suspended jail sentence of four weeks for shoplifting imposed just a few days earlier.

The defendant, who appeared in court via a video link from Cardiff Prison, admitted fraud, being in breach of the suspended custody term and a separate offence of handling stolen goods.

Harry Baker, mitigating, said Williams had pleaded guilty to the charges and urged Judge Daniel Williams to keep the inevitable prison sentence as short as possible.

He told the court that his client had already spent nearly two months behind bars while remanded in custody.

Telling him he had a “terrible record”, the judge jailed him for a total of 20 weeks.