A prolific shoplifter has been sent to prison after being caught in the act by police officers.

Sade Griffiths, 23, of Merrivale, Benfleet, has been handed a 14-month jail term for nine counts of theft between January 5 and February 5 this year.

Griffiths was stopped by Essex Police officers who recognised her as she was leaving a Sainsbury’s store on Canvey.

After conducting some checks, the officers from the Castle Point and Rochford policing team found she had three bottles of Jack Daniels and one bottle of Courvoiser cognac worth a total of £117 which she had not paid for in the supermarket.

A spokesman for the team said: “The 23-year-old female was spotted by one of our officers from the local policing team, leaving a store on Canvey on the evening of February 5.

“Officers swiftly caught up with the suspect and conducted a stop check which revealed she was also wanted for nine shoplifting offences across Castle Point and she had failed to pay for various items she had in her bag.

“She was also wanted on two courts warrants for failing to appear She was arrested and was questioned in custody.”

As police were questioning Griffiths, further checks revealed that she was wanted for several shoplifting offences across the borough.

She was remanded to court and charged with nine shoplifting offences.

This included stealing two DKNY perfume sets from Lloyds Pharmacy in Benfleet, fresh meat from the Co-Op in High Road, Benfleet, six four-packs of Stella Artois from the Spar, Benfleet, and £60 worth of groceries from Nearbuys on Canvey.

Griffiths also carried out four thefts totalling £120 from various Sainsbury’s in the Castle Point borough in addition to the offence on February 5.

On February 7, at Southend Magistrates Court, Griffiths pleaded guilty to all nine counts of theft.

The case was committed to Basildon Crown Court for sentencing and on February 8, she was handed a 14-month prison term.