A “screenwriter” stole an elderly woman’s purse at a Sliema supermarket and shoplifted the store a few days later, only to be recognised, chased by staff and arrested.

Jake Morris, 36, a Briton living in Sliema who told the court he was a screenwriter, took the purse from the woman as she was picking up some items from the cheese counter of Scotts Supermarket on October 16. It contained €50.

He did not realise he was filmed on CCTV cameras and returned eight days later to take items from the shelves. However, store manager Romina Tanti recognised him and tried to stop him.

He pushed her away and ran off so Ms Tanti and employee Marika Schembri gave chase and saw him push a man who also tried to stop him.

The women got into a car belonging to a salesman and followed him back to his block of apartments where they called the police, who arrested him.

As he ran to his apartment, he dropped the groceries, which were worth €22.

Legal aid lawyer Martin Fenech asked Magistrate Miriam Hayman to take into consideration the fact that Mr Morris was a first-time offender and had not committed any other crimes during his two-year stay in Malta.

The magistrate sentenced him to 18 months in jail, suspended for three years, and warned him of the consequences of committing an-other crime.

She told him that other people worked for their money and to get his act together because he would be jailed.