Shrewsbury cider thief abused shop staff and damaged police cell
A Shrewsbury man has admitted a string of offences committed after stealing 16 cans of strong lager from a convenience store.
Kidderminster Magistrates Court heard on Friday that Keane Murphy, 29, of Crowmere Green, entered a Spar store in the Monkmoor area of town at around 3pm on Tuesday this week.
The court was told that Murphy stole 16 cans of Strongbow cider, worth £39.
However, when the store supervisor confronted him, Murphy became abusive, magistrates heard, and threw a can of the cider at the shop worker that "exploded".
He then verbally abused the shop worker before threatening her.
The court was told after police tracked Murphy down in an alleyway, he was "throwing his arms around in an intoxicated state" and made contact with arresting officer PC Mason, who was uninjured.
Once he was taken to Shrewsbury police station, Murphy then "defecated" in his cell, which resulted in it having to be closed and cleaned.
He pleaded guilty to all five offences of shop theft, causing harassment alarm and distress, assaulting an emergency worker, assaulting the shop worker and criminal damage to the police cell.
The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports and Murphy is set to appear before magistrates on November 24.
He was released on bail on the condition that he does not visit the Spar store or contact the shop worker.
