Dudley man barred from ASDA after self-scanning £4,001 of items as plastic bags

A man from Dudley has been barred from all ASDA supermarkets after self-scanning £4,001 worth of items as carriers bags.

Kenneth Hollis, who is 43-years-old, targeted five supermarkets in Birmingham and the Black Country between October 1, 2021 and February 8, 2022.

During the four months, Hollis stole £322 worth of goods from a Dudley store, £1,186 of items from a Birmingham branch, £893 of products from the supermarket in Tipton, £795 worth from Oldbury and £805 of goods from the Halesowen branch.

Hollis broke down in tears at Birmingham Magistrates' Court as he pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation. 

He also admitted an offence of driving a Citroen Xsara without insurance on Queensway Halesowen. 

One of the charges read: "At the checkout you scanned plastic bags only and clicked finish and pay, bypassing the weighing scales."You then loaded the goods into the carrier bags before paying for the carrier bags only with a debit card before leaving the store without offering payment for the goods selected."

The full facts of the prosecution case were not opened against him at a court hearing earlier this month on Tuesday, March 1, as District Judge Shaw ruled to adjourn the case for Hollis to be interviewed by the probation service.He told the defendant: "This is a pattern of extremely serious offending because of the high value.

"Certainly if it's me (sentencing at the next hearing) I will be considering custody and of some length."Working against that you have not been in trouble for 12 years. I want a report to know what's going on and what's led to all this."Hollis was bailed with a condition not to enter ASDA as the judge added: "Keep out of all ASDA stores.

"If you are stupid or foolish enough to offend on bail it will only aggravate your position."The case was adjourned to a date in April.