Serial shoplifter jailed after defying ban from Sunderland City Centre

A serial Shoplifter who “who ignored a court order banning him from Sunderland city centre faces spending the rest of 2024 behind bars.”

As reported by Northumbria Police, Grant Gettins is beginning a seven-month jail term after ignoring a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which forbids him from entering the city centre.

Issued in February, the two-year order was handed down as a final opportunity for Gettins, 39, to clean up his act after committing more than 50 offences spanning three decades.

But he didn’t heed the advice and is now behind bars, after twice entering the city centre last week. 

The force further stated: “We will not tolerate city centre crime and CBOs are one of a number of tactics we can use to manage prolific offenders and curb their offending.

Doing so also empowers the courts to hand out greater sentences should the conditions be breached.

A big thanks to the public, businesses and our criminal justice partners who each played their part in this excellent result.”