All of these cases involving people from Oldham have been before the magistrates in the last fortnight.

A man has been jailed after stealing cheese and other items from a shop in Oldham.

Jason Biggins, of Huddersfield Road, Waterhead, entered the One Stop shop on Lees Road, Clarksfield, on April 7 and stole £63 worth of cheese and other items.

The 34-year-old was arrested and appeared at Tameside Magistrates' Court the following day, where he pleaded guilty to theft.

Biggins was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, due largely to the fact he had recently been released from serving time in prison for similar offences and the fact he has an "appalling" record for thefts and dishonesty.

He was also made to pay £63 in compensation.

A man who was found to be carrying a knife on the grounds of an Oldham primary school has avoided jail.

On March 7, Kane Lees, of Fairbourne Walk, Derker, was caught with the knife on the school grounds and also caused £400 worth of damage to the tyres of a woman's car.

When a police officer tried to arrest the 34-year-old, he resisted the male officer.

On April 8 at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court, Lees, pleaded guilty to possession of knife in a public place, criminal damage and resisting a police officer.

He was handed a four month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to attend 26 days of a Thinking Skills programme and 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Lees was also ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and was made to forfeit the knife for it to be destroyed.

A man has avoided jail after going on a stealing spree in Oldham.

Joseph Snape, of Ashworth Street, Shaw, committed five thefts between April and June last year.

On April 8, the 37-year-old stole £90 worth of alcohol from Morrisons in Hollinwood, before stealing £180 of alcohol from the same shop just six days later.

On April 21, he stole six cans of Malibu, worth £25, from Tesco Express in Shaw, before stealing cheese and a sub sandwich, worth a total of £30, from the same store on May 1.

Snape's stealing ended on June 29, when he seven Bold washing pods, a milkshake and an emoji gift bag from B&M in Spindles Shopping Centre, worth a total of £62.68.

On January 29 this year, Snape failed to appear at Tameside Magistrates' Court when required to do so, before appearing at the court on April 8 where he pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to court.

He was sentenced for that and the five thefts, all of which he had previously been convicted of.

Snape was handed a community order, requiring him to attend six days of rehabilitation activity requirement, and was ordered to pay compensation for all the thefts, bringing his total costs to £387.68.