A TRAVELLING shoplifter who told York Designer Centre staff he was a psychopath has been jailed for 29 weeks.

James Kelly, 42, managed to escape from the centre just south of Fulford but was arrested 13 miles away at the Bramham junction of the A1(M) and A64, said Ismael Uddin.

He and an accomplice had stolen Ralph Lauren gilets worth more than £200 which police found in the car which had been hired for a week.

Kelly, of Hilton Crescent, Ashton-under-Lyne near Manchester, pleaded guilty to theft shortly before he was due to stand trial in January.

He was on a eight-week suspended prison sentence when he stole from the York Designer Centre.

He was ordered to serve the eight weeks, plus 21 weeks for the York theft.

A co-defendant who admitted theft was jailed for 12 weeks at York Magistrates Court at an earlier hearing.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told Kelly: "The co-defendant of this professional shoplifting expedition, for which a car was hired, received a very lenient sentence."

Kelly has a long record for shoplifting and dishonesty, York Crown Court heard.

Mr Uddin said staff spotted the two men behaving suspiciously at 7.15pm on July 23. In particular, the co-accused was spotted going into a shop without a gilet on and coming out with one on.

The staff tried to stop Kelly as he left.

"He became aggressive and told the staff he was a psychopath and (they) should not go near him," said Mr Uddin.

He got into a car with two other people and left.

But police spotted the car at Bramham crossroads.

For Kelly, William Staunton handed in what he called a "woe is me treatise" from the shoplifter describing his problems of last summer.

He said Kelly had the care of a child and looked after an elderly grandparent. He also had a lot of "ailments".