Face of 'professional' Sheffield criminal who continued offending despite being recalled to prison

A man dubbed a ‘professional criminal’ is back behind bars, after he committed another offence in a Sheffield shop despite being wanted by the police at the time having been recalled to prison.

David Leadwood has been sentenced to eight weeks in prison after being found guilty of theft.

Leadwood stole a £60 bottle of perfume from the Lush store in Sheffield city centre on May 7. He was wanted on recall to prison at the time.

The 48-year-old was arrested on the Moor on May 10 after being caught leaving the shop without paying on the store's CCTV.

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He pleaded guilty to the charge of theft from a shop and was subsequently sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court.

Leadwood's offending was deemed so serious that it warranted a prison sentence as the number and police said nature of his offences showed that he was ‘operating as a professional criminal’.

Officer in charge of the case, PC Antony Nicholls, said: "This result sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can ignore court orders or show flagrant disrespect to people and their property in South Yorkshire.

"Anyone who persistently re-offends in our region will be caught and dealt with in the courts."