A thief has been jailed after targeting multiple victims in Folkestone and Hythe, including several retailers across the district.
Thomas Judge, 26, stole meat from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Iceland throughout September and early October 2025. The value of the products amounted to almost £700. Enquiries by investigators led to the thief being arrested in Marine Parade on 5th October. He was charged and remanded in custody the same day.
Judge pleaded guilty at court to seven offences in relation to the supermarket thefts, and twice stealing from Folkestone convenience stores in August 2025. He also admitted attempting to rob a man of a food delivery bag in Sandgate Hill earlier in the year.
Judge, of no fixed address, appeared before Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday 4th December where he was jailed for two years. In sentencing, consideration was given to admissions he had made at earlier hearings relating to the theft of a moped from Seabrook Road in Hythe and theft of an e-scooter from Folkestone town centre, and convictions for two thefts from a Hythe convenience store and possessing a weapon in a public place.
Inspector Pete Woodridge said ‘Persistent offenders such as Judge bring misery to the victims they target, and we fully understand the impact of these crimes on local communities. We are committed to protecting residents and retailers, and officers will always pursue the most robust options available.’
