A shoplifter has been jailed for punching a woman in the face in front of her 10-year-old son at a convenience store in Bournemouth.

Dean Hunt, of Turbary Park Avenue, Bournemouth, was sentenced to five months in prison after pleading guilty to 10 offences at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard Hunt was spotted attempting to steal a handful of sweets from Spar in Wimborne Road on Friday, December 23.

When the 51-year-old was stopped from leaving the store, he spat a mouthful of sweets at a member of staff before repeatedly punching him.

Heather Jackson, prosecuting, said another customer, who was shopping with her young son, asked Hunt to stop. He then punched her in the face, leaving her with a cut lip.

Hunt returned to the shop a short time later and kicked a display stand at the woman. When he was arrested by police he ‘lashed out’ and spat at a police officer, the court was told.

Nicola Jinks, mitigating, said Hunt has had a drink problem and he had been intoxicated at the time of the assault.

She added: “He accepts he has behaved completely inappropriately.”

District Judge Steven Nichols sentenced Hunt to a total of five months in prison for the two charges of assault against the female victim.

He was also sentenced to serve one month concurrently for each of eight other offences.

They included one charge of theft, three charges of assaulting a police officer, one charge of resisting arrest, one charge of assault, one public order offence and one charge of criminal damage.