Christopher Stevenson – Norwich

Christopher Stevenson, 32, of Norwich

Article from: 03/02/2026

Sex offending shoplifter who ignored store bans FINALLY jailed

One of Norwich’s most prolific shoplifters who repeatedly ignored bans on entering shops has been jailed.

Christopher Stevenson, 32, who is also subject to sex offender registration requirements, persistently targeted the same stores time and again.

His incessant crime wave continued despite court orders preventing him from entering retail premises across Norfolk.

Stevenson, of no fixed abode but formerly of Lound Road, pleaded guilty at Norwich Magistrates’ Court to 18 offences including 12 shop thefts between November and January and six breaches of a Crime Behaviour Order (CBO).

He brazenly walked out of branches of the Co-Op on Dereham Road and Hall Road, Tesco and Sainsbury’s with almost £1,000 worth of goods including chocolate, bottles of wine and meat.

Many of the thefts, which also included a stash of vinyl records from Urban Outfitters in Chantry Place, occurred multiple times on the same day.

The court was told the offences were the latest in a long history of prolific shoplifting.

Iqbal Kamal, prosecuting, said he had almost 100 convictions for shop thefts and the latest offences had been carried out whilst on bail.

Stevenson, who appeared in court after being arrested for failing to attend a previous hearing, also admitted breaching sex offender notification requirements by failing to register his whereabouts with police.

Lucy Brakewell, mitigating, said at the time he had been struggling with long-standing heroin addiction, homelessness and mental health issues.

She said: “He doesn’t go out stealing for the hell of it – it is simply to fund a desperate lifestyle.”

Addressing magistrates Stevenson said: “I’m not in a good place – I need help.”

Magistrates jailed him for 12 months.

They decided against ordering to pay compensation for the goods stolen after hearing he already had £4,000 in outstanding fines that would take “decades to pay off”.

Another article about him from 2018:

Man who sparked armed police response after pointing imitation firearm outside Norwich nightclub is jailed