A brazen shoplifter has been jailed after defying a nationwide ban from Asda by trying to steal more than £700 worth of goods from it's store in Coventry.

Serena Frances Lillah Downs, 21, was nabbed as she tried to steal items including children's toys worth £743 during the "sophisticated" and pre-planned theft on July 6.

She was caught in the act at Asda in Brade Drive and appeared before magistrates two days later.

She pleaded guilty to the theft and was sent to prison for 20 weeks, CoventryLive reports.

Coventry Magistrates Court heard how Downs, of Tuckers Road, Loughborough, has already been banned from Asda stores nationwide.

Earlier this year she stole more than £1,000 worth of groceries and baby food from Asda in a shoplifting spree,  reported DerbyshireLive.

Downs was caught by security pushing a trolley full of goods out of the store and went on to admit a total of six thefts across Derby and Nottingham.

The court heard how she stole the items to sell on social media to friends and other people through Facebook.

She again admitted all those thefts, but was only given a 12-month community order and told to pay £85 towards court costs and a £85 victim surcharge.