A meat thief has been convicted following an undercover police operation.

Jason Nicholls, 40, was spotted looking suspicious by plain clothed police officers leaving a Tesco store in Ravenside Retail Park, Bexhill on Monday and was found to have stolen meat.

Nicholls, of Rock Close, Hastings, received a suspended six weeks sentence at Hastings Magistrates’ Court yesterday after admitting the offence.

He was arrested as policing teams across Rother District conducted an operation to target shoplifters who have recently been targeting Bexhill.