A SHOPLIFTER who was caught on CCTV using a little girl as a “human shield” to steal a phone has been told to pay £141 in compensation to the shop.

Kieran Egan, 26, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court where he admitted one count of theft. He was filmed entering Baseo, in Southend High Street, on July 2 with a woman and a young child in a pushchair.

The video footage shows Egan, of Ladyshot, Harlow, placing the girl on the counter.

He then looks over his shoulder to check a door that leads to a staff only area while the woman asks for help from shop assistants.

As the shop assistant turns away, he ducks behind the girl and reaches behind the counter to grab the Samsung Galaxy A13, before putting it in his pocket.

Egan is then seen wheeling the pushchair around, picking the girl up with one arm and plonking her in the seat.

Following the incident, workers posted the shocking video on Facebook, where it quickly went viral.

Adam Keys, who runs the second hand electrical shop’s social media account, said: “To have someone steal from you is bad enough, but when they use a young child in this way it is absolutely terrible.

“We have had a letter from the Crown Prosecution Service telling us that we will be getting compensation. It does say that if it isn’t paid then he could go to jail.

“But the money is not really important, it’s the principle. It’s good to know the guy has been caught.

“The way that he did it, he had to be brought to justice.”