Stansted man Justin Baker admits threats to kill, racially aggravated public order offence and criminal damage at Potter Street shop and four thefts from Bishop’s Park Tesco and Thorley Park Sainsbury’s

A man has appeared in court charged with making threats to kill, a racially aggravated public order offence and criminal damage after an incident at a shop in Bishop’s Stortford town centre.

Last Wednesday (March 19), neighbourhood policing team officers responded to reports of criminal damage at a shop in Potter Street.

Justin Baker, 40 – also known as Justin Thompson – of Manor Road, Stansted, was arrested at the scene.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: “Charges were subsequently secured, with the support of officers from the intervention response team and the constabulary’s case investigation team.”

At Hatfield Magistrates’ Court on Friday (March 21), Baker pleaded guilty to committing eight offences at three shops in the space of less than a week.

He was remanded into custody for three weeks ahead of a sentencing hearing at St Albans Crown Court on April 11.

As well as the three charges arising from the Potter Street shop incident, he admitted three counts of theft from Tesco, Bishop’s Park, on March 13, 17 and 18, and theft and a public order offence at Sainsbury’s, Thorley Neighbourhood Centre, on March 18.