Dean Watson, 44, damaged police car and assaulted two officers during violent struggle after raid on Barnsley store – as shoplifting epidemic costs UK retailers £2.2BILLION
Exclusive: A shameless thief has been locked up after launching a disgusting attack on police officers who caught him red-handed stealing booze from Tesco – spitting at them and kicking them during a violent struggle.
Dean Watson, 44, of Faith Street, Barnsley, broke into a Tesco store on Wombwell Lane earlier this month and helped himself to multiple bottles of alcohol worth over £138 before attempting to flee on foot.
But the prolific criminal’s booze raid came to an abrupt end when officers quickly detained him and placed him in a marked police vehicle – only for Watson to turn violent in a desperate bid to escape justice.
The 44-year-old proceeded to damage the police car by kicking the interior before launching a vile assault on both officers, spitting at them and kicking them as they tried to restrain him.
‘No officer should face abuse’
Sergeant Paul Allen, from Barnsley District Support Hub, condemned Watson’s disgusting behaviour, saying: “No officer should go to work, experience abuse and be assaulted when they are just trying to do their job.
Luckily the officers were not injured during this incident, and Watson is now facing the consequences of his actions.
The shocking case comes as Britain faces a shoplifting epidemic that’s spiralling out of control – with more than 20 million thefts recorded last year alone, costing retailers a staggering £2.2 billion.
Shoplifting epidemic grips Britain
Watson’s brazen theft is just one of 55,000 shoplifting incidents happening EVERY DAY across the UK, as organised criminal gangs and opportunistic thieves target stores with increasing boldness.
The British Retail Consortium’s latest crime survey revealed theft incidents soared from 16 million to more than 20 million in the year to August 2024 – with alcohol among the top three most stolen items alongside meat and cheese.
At one Tesco Extra store in Hull, manager Nick Carolan revealed his branch lost a jaw-dropping £1.1 million to theft in a single year – with thieves stealing £600 worth of sandwiches alone every week.
“It’s really quite remarkable, as if they were stealing to order,” one retailer told The Grocer magazine, describing how an entire delivery of fine cheese disappeared from shelves within two hours.
Police officers under siege
Watson’s assault on officers highlights another disturbing trend – the alarming rise in attacks on police. Last year saw a shocking 50,259 assaults on UK police officers, equivalent to one officer being attacked every 10 minutes.
In England and Wales alone, 41,000 assaults were recorded against officers in 2021-22, with the number on an upward trend. South Yorkshire Police recorded more than 700 assaults on its staff between 2018 and 2023.
I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: any assault on a police officer involving a serious injury should be automatic jail,” one senior officer told the Barnsley Chronicle. No ifs, no buts – we’re talking about broken noses, black eyes, cuts, bites, something that leaves a lasting effect.
Tesco’s security nightmare
The supermarket giant has been forced to spend millions on security measures as thieves grow increasingly brazen. More than 110 protective screens have already been installed at Tesco Express stores, with 250 more planned to protect staff from violent shoplifters.
Three members of an organised crime gang were recently jailed for stealing nearly £200,000 worth of goods from Tesco stores across the country. The thieves, who targeted razors, alcohol, fragrances and electrical goods, were responsible for over 100 crimes.
In their most audacious theft, they stole champagne worth more than £4,500 in a single spree. The gang would even change clothes before returning to the same store to commit further offences.
‘Like it’s not even a crime anymore’
Asda chairman Stuart Rose warned that shoplifting has become so commonplace it’s “almost like it’s not a crime anymore because the police aren’t doing much about it.
The crisis has been partly blamed on a 2014 change in legislation that meant police wouldn’t pursue thieves stealing goods worth less than £200 – effectively giving criminals a green light to help themselves.
Iceland boss Richard Walker revealed his stores are losing £20 million a year to shoplifters, with staff facing an average of 12 “serious incidents” each week where they’re attacked by thieves.
“Colleagues are being slapped, punched and threatened with a range of weapons including knives, hammers, firearms and hypodermic needles,” Walker said. “Assaults have resulted in injuries ranging from a broken jaw to a fractured skull.”
Social media fuels theft epidemic
Disturbingly, social media platforms like TikTok are playing a role in the crisis, with users sharing tips on how to shoplift and turning it into a ‘community’ activity.
Criminals no longer sneak items secretly into their coats – instead, they’re brazenly sweeping whole shelves into bags and walking out. Self-scan checkouts have created what experts call a “blurry boundary” between theft and error, making it harder to prosecute thieves.
Maximum penalties for police assault
Under the law, assaulting a police officer can result in severe consequences:
- Up to 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a £5,000 fine for assault under the Police Act
- Up to one year for common assault on an emergency worker (or two years if racially aggravated)
- Up to five years for grievous bodily harm (seven if racially aggravated)
- Life imprisonment for the most serious assaults with intent to cause GBH
The Assaults on Emergency Workers Act 2018 and Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 have strengthened protections for officers – but critics say courts aren’t using their full powers.
Zero tolerance stance
Barnsley District Commander Simon Wanless vowed: “We have a zero-tolerance approach to assaults on our officers. Policing is a dangerous job and our brave officers are often the ones who put themselves in harm’s way to protect their communities and keep people safe; they deserve to be respected.
To purposefully injure an officer in the line of duty is unacceptable. No-one should come to work and fear being verbally or physically attacked.”
As Watson begins his jail sentence, his case serves as a stark reminder of the twin crises facing Britain – a shoplifting epidemic costing billions and rising violence against the officers trying to stop it.
