“When your legs don’t work cause you’re barred from the store”
A prolific shoplifter has caused a stir online after web users noticed his police mug shot bears an uncanny resemblance to singer Ed Sheeran. Thief Bailey Esmonde, 22, has been banned from every Tesco in Derby after being slapped with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).
But after Derbyshire Police released his custody photo, hundreds of social media users quickly pointed out he was a spit of the pop megastar. The force’s post attracted over 2,500 comments with many referencing the lookalike and branding him “a Temu version of Ed Sheeran”.
Once person commented: “When your legs don’t work cause you’re barred from the store.” Another put: “Anyone else just here for the Ed Sheeran comments.”
A third commented: “When the till don’t work like it used to before…” One web user wrote: “Is he Temu’s version of Ed Sheeran??”
Another said: “He stole a fiddle from an Irish bar?” Another put: “This is clearly ED HeRan.” Esmonde was made subject of the CBO, which will last for three years until May 13, 2029.
He is prohibited from entering any Tesco in the city, and he must not remain in any retail or commercial premises when asked to leave by staff, security, police officers or police community support officers in Derby. It comes after Esmonde entered the Tesco Express store in St Peter’s Street on March 30 and stole two cans of cider and made off without payment.
Two days later, on April 1, he was arrested for being in possession of a wrap of cocaine. Esmonde, of no fixed abode, was charged with shop theft and possession of crack cocaine.
He pleaded guilty to both charges at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on April 2. He was also given a conditional discharge for 12 months and made to pay compensation for the theft of the alcohol.
Esmonde was already made subject to a CBO imposed in 2024. At the time, he admitted stealing a can of Monster energy drink, two packets of sandwiches, a bag of crisps and a bag of chicken bites from Tesco Express in Alvaston.
He was originally banned from entering just that store. However, following his latest crimes, officers successfully applied to have the CBO extended to ban him from all Tesco shops in Derby.
The order was granted during a hearing at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on May 14.
