Prolific Crawley Shoplifter Jailed After Assaulting PCSO And Ignoring Court Ban

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed after admitting a string of offences in Crawley, including assaulting a PCSO and repeatedly ignoring a court order banning him from the town centre.

Ben Gladman, 37, was subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which prohibited him from entering Crawley town centre and a number of major retailers, including TK Maxx, Tesco and Co-op.

Despite the ban, Gladman was spotted breaching the order by a PCSO on patrol.

He ran off, and when the officer caught up with him, he assaulted the PCSO before being arrested.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court on January 14, Gladman admitted two breaches of a CBO, assaulting an emergency worker, and five shop thefts.

The court heard how the thefts took place between July 2024 and January 5 this year.

On July 18, he stole drinks worth £55 from Greggs. Less than two weeks later, on July 31, he took cheese strings, energy drinks and Dairylea Dunkers worth £9 from the Co-op in Langley Green.

On August 15, Gladman returned to the same Co-op twice in one day — first stealing energy drinks, coffee jars and a soft drink, before coming back later to take laundry products.

The total value of the items stolen that day was £101.

In November, Gladman was convicted of further offences, including shop theft, and was handed the Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from Crawley town centre and Tesco stores.

However, on January 5 he breached the order again after entering Tesco Express in Ifield, stealing chocolates and sweets worth £85.

Gladman, who has no fixed address, was seen in Crawley town centre on January 13.

He ran from a PCSO, but was caught and arrested after assaulting the officer.

He was sentenced to six months in prison.

Speaking after the case, Inspector Andrew Bryant said Gladman had 31 previous convictions for more than 100 offences.

He added:

“Thanks to the dedication of the PCSO, he was caught breaching the court orders imposed on him.

"The evidence showed he had continued to commit shop thefts.

“We understand the impact this has on communities and on staff working in shops.

"That’s why we are determined to target prolific offenders, and we are pleased that Gladman is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”