A THIEF who pinched thousands of pounds of Christmas decorations from Marks and Spencer has been spared jail.

Daniel Healey shoplifted more than £2,000 of goods from the chain’s Gemini Retail Park store during two visits last month.

On Friday, November 22, he stole £1,344.50 of Christmas decorations and lights, clothing and headphones.

He then returned to the shop on Thursday, November 28, and stole another £877 of festive products and clothes.

This followed thefts in Liverpool city centre in August, when he stole more than £500 of goods from John Lewis and Debenhams.

Healey, from Manchester, admitted four counts of theft at Warrington Magistrates Court on Friday, November 29 – as well as failing to surrender to court bail and breaching a community order, handed down for a series of thefts from M&S and Waitrose stores in Handforth and Bath last year.

The ‘persistent offender’ was given a 12-week jail sentence suspended for a year and a 12-week curfew from 7pm to 7am.

He was also to pay a victim surcharge of £115 and £85 court costs.