Bulwell heroin addict turned to shoplifting to fund his habit

Stephen Prescott (32), of Goverton Square, had kept out of trouble for four years after previously spending time in prison.

“But his life started to go wrong again when the relationship with his partner came to an abrupt and acrimonious end,” his solicitor, Nadir Prabatani (defending), told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

Prescott pleaded guilty to three charges of thefts from shops in Bulwell, twice on Sunday 14th September last year and once on Tuesday 14th October.

He admitted stealing meat, worth £50, from the Co-op; a Morphy Richards steam iron, worth £59.99, from B&M Bargains, and two fragrance sets, worth £28, from Tesco Extra .

The court heard he was also in breach of a conditional discharge imposed by the court on 3rd October for a previous shoplifting offence when he stole meat and cheese, worth £77.50, from Iceland.

Mr Prabatani said Prescott had “spent the majority of his life addicted to drugs, and had an unenviable criminal record”.

At the time of these latest offences, he had lost his benefits and was stuck in a “vicious cycle”, whereby he had no money to pay for his drugs and, therefore, stole from stores.

“The thefts were not sophisticated, and he made full and frank admissions,” added Mr Prabatani.

“There is a glimmer of hope because he is now smoking heroin, rather than injecting it, and he has referred himself to a drugs worker.”

After reading a probation report, District Judge Robert Zara sentenced Prescott to a community order of 12 months to include supervision by the probation service and drug-rehabilitation treatment over nine months. He was told to pay compensation of £109.99 to the two stores that had been unable to recover the stolen goods.