£400 compensation order for man who stole wine and harassed shop staff at Sainsbury's

A man who admitted harassing two staff at a station convenience store has escaped jail - but has been ordered to cough up £400 in compensation.

Phillip Ralph Longstaff, of Corporation Road, Peterlee, pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment when he appeared before Newcastle Magistrates yesterday, Tuesday, June 6.

He also admitted stealing a bottle of wine worth £6.

The court heard all three offences had been committed at the Sainsbury's store in Newcastle's Central Station last Thursday, June 1.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison on the basis that the harassment offences had involved 'exceptionally aggressive and appalling behaviour'.

But the court suspended the jail term for a year because Longstaff still had 10 months of post-sentence probation supervision to run.

He was ordered to pay £200 compensation on each of the harassment charges.