A Cheltenham burglar has avoided being jailed despite raids on the town's Playhouse Theatre, a bookies, a school, a cafe and an upmarket clothing store.

At Cheltenham Magistrates Court Ben Jones, 31, of Tewkesbury Road admitted the burglaries and was sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment suspended for 15 months.

The court was told that between December 14 and 17th last year, 2019 Jones entered a building at Inlingua Language School in Rodney Road Cheltenham and stole a bag which contained cash of a variety of currencies of unknown value.

Jones also admitted breaking into the Garden Cafe in Montpellier with the intention of stealing from the store between December 28 and 31, 2019 and gaining entry into the Coral bookmakers in Bath Road between January 26 and 28, 2020 with the intention of stealing from the betting shop.

The court heard that he also entered as a trespasser to the British lifestyle brand store Joules' premises located in the Promenade on February 18 and stole clothing, watches and a cash till and drawer and cash to an unknown value.

Jones also targeted Cheltenham's Playhouse Theatre on February 22 and stole a number of charity tins and a quantity of cash, envelopes and tickets to a value unknown.

The justices sentenced Jones to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 15 months.

He was also required to complete a 12 month community order that included a 30 day programme requirement and to participate in a thinking skills programme.

Jones was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of the businesses he targeted, except the bookmakers.