A SHOPLIFTER has been banned from entering Worcestershire - and from every Co-op, Tesco, M&S pub and bank in the whole country - with a few exceptions.

Alexander Bingham has been made subject to a criminal behaviour order (CBO) for four years in a draconian bid by West Mercia Police and Gloucestershire Constabulary to protect shops, pubs and banks from his light-fingered habits.

The CBO was granted last month in the Cheltenham and Gloucester courts but is also designed to stop him offending in Worcestershire where he also has a history of offending.

Bingham is know to have committed crimes in Worcester, Malvern, Evesham and Pershore hence the ban from Worcestershire where he has 'repeatedly offended'.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "He is predominantly known for shop theft offences in the Gloucestershire area where he lives. West Mercia police is working together with Gloucester police to compile the CBO application."

He is prohibited from: Entering any Co-op store; entering any Tesco store, save for Tesco Store, St Oswalds Road, Gloucester; entering any Marks & Spencer (M&S) store; entering any retail premises within Gloucestershire, with the exceptions of Tesco, St Oswalds Road, Gloucester.

Bingham is also banned from entering any pharmacy or chemist, Gloucester Post Office, any pub, restaurant, fast food outlet and bank and from entering the county of Worcestershire, save for travelling through in a vehicle or on public transport.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "CBO’s are a tool to tackle anti-social behaviour (that is any behaviour that causes alarm harassment or distress) so behaviour that is not ordinarily an existing crime, although restrictions can be added that are in line with some criminal offences, ie those that fall under the Public Order Act.

"It is this nuisance behaviour that causes significant harm to the community that without the use of a CBO, the police sometimes find difficult to resolve meaningfully.

"It offers police the power of arrest (if necessary) of persons involved in such behaviour at the earliest opportunity. Often before behaviours escalate to the commission of more serious criminal offences.

It is a useful preventative measure for more serious harm being caused.

"For example, throwing stones/eggs at a house – might not cause damage, in which case police may not have sufficient evidence to pursue a criminal damage offence, however if a prohibition of throwing any item is in place within the CBO then this behaviour can be dealt with meaningfully thus preventing repeated behaviour.

"Exclusion areas are another example of CBO restrictions, such as when an individual has caused a great deal of harm and nuisance to persons living or working in a locality. By having this within a CBO means that when they are reported to be in the area, police have the option of arrest and progression of the case to court for breaching that aspect of the CBO before they have had chance to cause a nuisance. Without such restrictions enforcement options can be very limited until behaviour become criminal conduct."