A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for his most recent offences, including stealing from ASDA and taking a woman’s purse to use her bank cards.

Matthew Softley, 52, of Penhill Drive, appeared before Swindon Magistrates' Court on August 20 after stealing £106 worth of washing detergent from Asda the previous day, which he pleaded guilty to.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing a bike outside a Tesco store, theft of a BBQ set from Wilkinsons, stealing a woman’s purse from a bench and using her bank cards, possession of amphetamine and failing to surrender to court bail in May and July.

On April 18 2022, Softley, who has 104 convictions on his record, was filmed on CCTV riding off on a stolen bike worth £500 and identified by security staff at a Tesco store.

Following the offence, the brother of the victim ran into Softley in town, challenged him and was offered a stolen BBQ set as compensation, which he then handed over to the police and Softley was arrested and found with a wrap of amphetamine, which he said was for personal use.

Then on December 8 2022, Softley was caught on CCTV stealing a woman’s purse after she had accidentally left it on a bench outside the Orbital ASDA store.

He was seen walking past the bench, clocking the purse, and walking back to pick it up, before using her bank cards to spend a total of £110.09.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she described having a feeling of “heightened anxiety” saying she now checks her purse is in her bag every two to three minutes and was worried about the thief knowing her address from her driver’s licence.

She said: “This made me very unnerved…I live by myself most of the time which increased my anxiety.

“I felt very uncomfortable that someone had my cards. Every time I had the notification on my phone I had constant anxiety.

“I work hard for my money and the fact someone else was spending it made me angry.”

When Softley was caught shoplifting two bags on August 19, he admitted he did not pay for items but said he needed them to move out of Swindon.

His defence said Softley has been struggling significantly with grief since his partner suddenly passed away two years ago and he was the one to find her deceased at the home they shared, which he has been unable to go back to and has since been living with his daughter, relying on her for emotional and financial support.

The court also heard that Softley said he had fallen out with his probation officer, panicked and failed to attend previous hearings.

She said Softley, who had once owned a successful cleaning business, “readily accepts he is not coping with the death of his partner and needs to address that in order to move on."

His defence added that these crimes were simply “opportunistic" and Softley uses outdoor activities as a way to cope with his emotions, so he was planning to sell the stolen detergent to fund his hobbies. 

The magistrate told him: “We understand you have had bereavement and we are sorry for that but it doesn’t mean you can go stealing things.

“It’s particularly concerning that you had the opportunity on several occasions to co-operate with probation and you have chosen not to do that.”

He was jailed for 19 weeks and ordered to reimburse the victim the £100 they had paid for the bike and pay £110 compensation for the money spent with the stolen bank cards. 

Softley was jailed for 16 weeks in 2019 for drawing a bow and arrow in a Co-Op car park.