A 'blatant thief' who robbed a shop worker tried to stuff stolen jewellery up his bottom while in a police van.
Callum Gregory, 19, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for the robbery, as well as a series of shoplifting offences.
He stole hundreds of pounds worth of items from shops in Harpurhey town centre while he was banned from the area after a criminal behaviour order had been imposed.
Manchester Crown Court heard the shoplifting spree took place in November and December last year.
Gregory, who has 'learning difficulties' and was said to be intoxicated, stole £75 of vodka from Asda, £824 of beauty products from Lloyds pharmacy, clothes worth £300 from Select, a further £150 of alcohol from Asda, jumpers worth £200 again from Select, and two toothbrushes from Lloyds worth almost £22.
The 'unsophisticated' thefts committed by Gregory, described by one security guard as a 'blatant thief', were committed while a five year criminal behaviour order was in force.
Then in March, when police were called to his home in Harpurhey to reports of a disturbance, Gregory kicked one officer and spat at two other officers, with the saliva landing on their uniforms.
The incident occurred before the lockdown, but prosecutor Alistair Reid told how the officers were 'particularly concerned' about the spitting.
The day after he appeared before magistrates in relation to his previous offences, Gregory was on Rochdale Road in Harpurhey at about 6.30pm on March 20, where a woman was closing a shop for the day.
She had £530 in takings from the day in a bag, along with other items including an iPad and jewellery.
Gregory went into the store, initially asking about the price of sweets.
He then grabbed the bag and assaulted her, pushing her and hitting her so he could take the rucksack.
There was a struggle as she tried to stop him.
Police later found him and chased him on foot. He threw a bag, which contained about £15, into a nearby garden.
He was stopped and put in a police van.
Gregory appeared to be struggling in the back of the van, and at first they thought he was trying to move his handcuffs from the back of his body to the front.
But they found he was trying to conceal jewellery within his anus, the court heard.
Following a strip search at the police station, officers found a silver chain, a gold chain, a ring and a gold earring in his underwear.
This offending was also in breach of a previous community order for other offences.
He only attended one of 120 hours unpaid work he had been sentenced to, and did not attend any rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Defending, Adam Lodge says Gregory, described by probation as being 'unmanageable' in the community, is now remorseful and regrets his offending while in 'sober reflection'.
He said Gregory wants to address his problems and take part in education within prison.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls ordered the sentence to be served in a young offender's institution.
Gregory, of Cardale Walk, Harpurhey, pleaded guilty to robbery, six counts of theft, breaching a criminal behaviour order, breaching a community order and three counts of assaulting an emergency worker.
