A PROLIFIC shoplifter, known as Needleman, has been jailed for 32 months after threatening shop workers with a dirty syringe and threatening to give them AIDS.

James Walsh, 37, targeted Iceland and Home Bargains in the Briercliffe Shopping Centre, Burnley, helping himself to meat, toys and family-sized tubs of chocolates.

When he was confronted by staff he produced the filthy needle, causing workers to back off for fear of being stabbed or infected.

He told the manager at Iceland: “Don’t come near me, or I’ll give you AIDS.”

Burnley Crown Court heard between October 24, 2019, and November 15, 2019, Walsh committed six separate thefts.

On October 24, he was spotted trying to walk out of Iceland with £50-worth of meat products.

Two days later, he returned to Iceland and put boxes of Celebrations in his basket. He refused to put them back and again produced a needle, warning staff: “I wouldn’t bother if I were you.”

The same day he went to Home Bargains and picked up a £40 doll and £40 teddy bear. He was spotted in the aisle carrying the toys in one hand and a needle in the other.

He stole more toys from Home Bargains on November 1 and 2 - producing the needle on the second occasion.

On November 7 he threatened Iceland supervisor Jake Porter, saying: “I’ll f***ing do it.”

A member of the public stepped in and Walsh fled, leaving his ‘shopping’ behind.

Mr Porter said: “This male is regularly coming into our store and producing this needle. It is affecting staff - they don’t want to approach him in case he does what he says he will and stabs someone.”

Walsh’s stealing spree came to an end on November 11 when he stole a stuffed panda from Home Bargains, worth £40.

The store manager spotted him and called police, who caught up with him in Colne Road.

He was taken to Burnley Police Station and handed over the needle at the custody desk. He told officers he never injected drugs and only ever smoked heroin.

Walsh, of no fixed address, admitted seven counts of theft, three of threatening a person with an article with a blade or point and one of possessing an article with a blade or point in public.

He was sentenced to two months each consecutively for the thefts, eight months for each threat with the needle and a further six months for possession of an offensive weapon.