A teenage shoplifter has been jailed for six months just 18 hours after being arrested.

Police believe the sentencing of Kevin Garbutt could be the quickest-ever under the new system of "fast-tracking" offenders.

The system was brought in to deal quickly with low-level street crime.

Garbutt was sentenced at Salford magistrates court after pleading guilty to theft and assault.

A violent thief can be taken off the streets within 18 hours of being caught

Chief Inspector Nigel Bonson

A police spokesman said the 19-year-old was seen shoplifting at the Lidl supermarket near to his home in Pendleton, Salford, Greater Manchester, on Wednesday evening.

He attacked the security guard who stopped him leaving the store, and the police were called.

He appeared before magistrates on Thursday at 0930 BST.

'Speedy justice'

With no need for pre-sentence reports and clear-cut evidence, he was dealt with and found himself behind bars by 1330 BST.

Chief Inspector Nigel Bonson, of Salford police, said: "We and our partners in the justice system are working hard to ensure speedy justice.

"This was a case where everything went according to plan and resulted in what is, in my experience, the quickest-ever prosecution to a jail sentence.

"It is exactly what we want and what the public deserves - a violent thief can be taken from the streets within 18 hours of being caught."

The new guidelines allowed the case to be processed at one sitting.

Previously Garbutt would have been bailed to a later date and another hearing scheduled.