A man has been jailed for theft and subsequent assault of a shop worker in Bournemouth.
Ronald James, 45 and of Walpole Road in Bournemouth, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday 13 August 2020 and pleaded guilty to an offence of causing grievous bodily harm and theft. He was sentenced on the same day to a total of two years and four months in prison.
At 2.13pm on Thursday 2 April 2020 officers received a report from the ambulance service that a staff member had been assaulted outside Co-op on Holdenhurst Road.
The victim had confronted James in the shop for stealing bottles of wine and asked him to return the goods.
James continued to leave the shop, while the victim followed behind him and tried to reason with him to return the items.
James proceeded to shout at the victim, before striking them over the head with a bottle of wine several times.
The victim sustained deep lacerations to their right hand from broken glass that required hospital treatment, as well as bruising and a bump to the head.
Officers identified James from CCTV and arrested him at around 4.30pm on the same day in Crabton Close Road.
Sergeant Ashley White, of Bournemouth East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was a nasty assault on a staff member and I am pleased that we were able to swiftly locate and arrest James.
“I hope this case demonstrates that we do not tolerate shoplifting or violence and will do all that we can to identify and bring offenders to justice.”
