Self-service scammer banned from every Asda avoids jail but must pay back £4,000

Kenneth Hollis, 43, went on a four-month fraud spree at five Asda stores (Picture: BPM Media)

A conman who went on a four-month fraud spree at five Asda stores has avoided being sent to prison.

Kenneth Hollis, 43, must however pay back the chain £4,001 in compensation and has been banned from every Asda supermarket across the country.

Hollis, of Vicarage Prospect in Dudley, targeted shops across Birmingham and the Black Country between October and February.

His scamming started when he carried out the first theft accidentally by selecting carrier bags on the checkout and pressing the pay option, without scanning his shopping first. He thought he had ‘got away with it’ so continued his spree.

But he was caught after an Asda analyst clocked on to what he was doing.

Prosecutor Neelam Shafiq said: ‘The fraud took place over four months. It was highlighted by an analyst at Asda’s intelligence centre who found discrepancies at a number of Asda stories.

‘Mr Hollis was alleged to have committed these. He’s entered the stores as a customer, selected items from around the stores, putting those into the trolley then he goes to the self-scan checkout.

‘He selected the bags from the checkout scanning those bags then clicking “finish and pay”, bypassing the weighing scales.

‘He has proceeded to bag up the items without scanning them, then left the stores.’

He must pay back the chain £4,001 in compensation and has been banned from every Asda supermarket across the country (Picture: BPM Media)

In total Hollis stole at branches:

• £322 from Dudley
• £1,186 from Birmingham
• £893 from Tipton
• £795 from Oldbury
• £805 from Halesowen

He was also caught driving without insurance on January 8 on Halesowen Queensway.

At a previous hearing Hollis admitted five charges of fraud by false representation and an offence of driving without insurance.

He was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to 26 weeks in prison suspended for two years.

He carried out the first theft accidentally by selecting carrier bags on the checkout. Stock image (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He was also told to complete a ‘thinking skills’ programme and 30 days of rehabilitation activity, as well as paying Asda the compensation.

Sam Christopher, defending, said: ‘Why did he do it? He bought shopping from Asda.

‘Initially he scanned the bags first and pressed pay to complete the transaction.

‘He should have told the shop but didn’t and realised he could get away with fraud. He was struggling.

‘He was paying off debts. He got in arrears with his rent and bailiffs were involved. He has resolved that.

‘He went around local Asdas having got away with it. To his credit since it has come to light he has done everything right.

‘He held his hands up in interview. He has pleaded guilty.’

He added Hollis was ‘scammed’ on Facebook and thought he had paid to insure his car, but in fact had not.

Calling the crime ‘sophisticated and sustained’, district judge David Murray said: ‘It’s a serious fraud over a number of months.

‘You used a motor vehicle on at least one occasion which was uninsured.’