A SHOPLIFTER who targeted Worcester's Boots store will learn today whether he will walk free or spend more time in jail after an emotional outburst in court on the last occasion.

Cornel Gheorghe, who targeted the city's Boots store in £8,000 raids, had a tantrum in the prison videolink booth when he learned he would not be walking free because his sentence would have to be delayed at Worcester Crown Court. A judge had previously remanded him in custody after he was initially granted bail at magistrates court last November.

Worcester man's x-rated rant at female cop

Today he faces sentence before Judge Martin Jackson who has been occupied with a trial of issue in the case of Sanger Mohammed which also resumes today.

Just Eat delivery driver's ban

Learning he would not walk free as he had anticipated, Gheorghe aged 34 demanded to go home and hit out at adjournments and at the probation service. However, this time Gheorghe is expected to

He targeted the High Street store during three brazen raids, all captured on CCTV - on one occasion returning to the same store within half an hour to carry on his spree.

The thief cleared whole shelves of high value cosmetics, razors and toothbrush heads on three separate sprees worth £8,227 at a time when city businesses were struggling though the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of lockdown.

The defendant appeared over videolink from HMP Pentonville and was clearly frustrated when he learned he would be staying where he was having already spent two months in prison on remand waiting to be sentenced.

The dad could be seen wildly gesticulating, waving his arms around, crying, shouting, putting his head in his hands and banging his fist down on the table as he tried to make himself understood via his Romanian interpreter.

No pre-sentence report had been prepared by the probation service, despite one being ordered when Gheorghe appeared before magistrates last November, pleading guilty at the first available opportunity.

Matters were further complicated because, according to the probation officer, the prison is not hosting videolinks until May 24 which means the defendant could not be interviewed to prepare such a report.

Without the report, Judge Nicolas Cartwright was unwilling to sentence Gheorghe on the previous occasion. A clearly agitated defendant shouted: "I was hoping to go home today! I want to speak to my solicitor!"

We will bring you a report on what happens later.

In court three Judge James Burbidge QC, the Recorder of Worcester, is expected to sentence Jake Wright and Patrick McCarthy.