Man receives suspended sentence for breaching court order and Greggs theft

A man from Willowfield who previously assaulted shop workers has avoided prison after he was caught back in a Telford Greggs.

Jonathan Beatty Thomas, 36, appeared at Telford Magistrates’ Court on 29 January following a visit to Greggs earlier that month.

The court heard that Thomas entered the shop on 8 January and stole drinks worth £10.

The visit was a breach of a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) handed to him in November last year.

That order was issued after a string of violent incidents, including one where Thomas kicked a staff member at the New Street branch in Wellington.

The 2025 hearing also dealt with an assault at Tesco Express on Haygate Road and the theft of gift sets from Boots in the Town Centre.

At the time, Sergeant Rich Jones said the actions of Thomas had a “terrifying impact on shops and businesses across Telford.”

Under the terms of the CBO, Thomas is banned from entering the Telford Shopping Centre, the Wellington Greggs, and the Haygate Road Tesco Express until 2028.

For the latest breach and theft, magistrates imposed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

The court noted the seriousness of the offences but prioritised a compensation order for the stolen drinks.

Thomas was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154, with the money to be deducted from his benefits.